The 24th Annual Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Conference on Sept. 20 is expected to draw approximately 600 healthcare providers, physicians, researchers and families to the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa. Experts will look 12 years into the future and report on progress toward eliminating Alzheimer's. The daylong session, entitled Countdown to 2025: Progress on Ending Alzheimer's Disease, will include the following presentations:

Morning sessions:• The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease: What's Next?, Ron Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic• DIAN: Understanding Alzheimer's Disease in Person Persons with Causative Genetic Mutations, John Morris, M.D., Washington University• Inflammation as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease, Andrea Tenner, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine• Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: What We've Learned from the Oldest Old, Claudia Kawas, M.D., University of California, Irvine

Afternoon clinical track presentations:• DSM-V: Renaming Dementia, Ron Peterson, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic• Best Practices in Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, Bruce Miller, M.D., University of California, San Francisco• Neuroimaging: An Early Diagnostic Marker, Adam Fleisher, M.D., M.A.S., Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ

Afternoon research track presentations:• New Hope: Stem Cell Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease, Mathew Blurton-Jones, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine• The Role of Amyloid in the Development and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Glabe, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine• Progress in Immunotherapy for Treating Alzheimer's Disease, David Cribbs, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine

Today, more than 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and a new case emerges every 68 seconds. In the absence of effective treatments and prevention strategies, by 2050, up to 16 million Americans will be affected, and a new case will develop every 33 seconds. Currently, more than 588,000 Californians have Alzheimer's disease; by 2030, this figure will double to 1.1 million. In Orange County alone, it is estimated that 83,000 individuals already have Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death nationally and the fourth-leading cause of death in Orange County.

Continuing education units will be available for physicians (CME) and a variety of other health care professionals, including social workers (BBS), nurses (BRN), nursing home (NHAP) and residential care facility (RCFE) administrators, CPAs, fiduciaries, and attorneys (MCLE). Complimentary respite will also be available for family caregivers at various Orange County assisted living facilities.

To register, call 1-800-272-3900 or visit act.alz.org/24thAnnualResearchConference.

About UCI MIND

Dedicated to the mission of researching ways to make memories last a lifetime, the University of California, Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) is engaged in cutting edge interdisciplinary research to uncover the basic mechanisms of brain aging, characterize the transition from normal aging to Alzheimer's disease, develop new treatments, and identify strategies to maintain brain health. Internationally recognized, UCI MIND is one of 15 prestigious Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRC) funded by the National Institute on Aging, one of the 10 California Alzheimer's Disease Centers, and a leading national site for clinical trials. UCI MIND is Orange County's only federally and state-designated Alzheimer's disease research and clinical center. For more information, call (949) 824-2382 or visit http://www.mind.uci.edu

About Alzheimer's Association, Orange County Chapter

The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Its mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Since 1982, Alzheimer's Association, Orange County Chapter has been providing programs and services, free of charge, to Orange County residents with Alzheimer's and related disorders, their families, caregivers, and the community. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative illness that weakens the memory and other cognitive and emotional functions. For more information, call the 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900, or visit http://www.alz.org/oc

Alzheimer's Facts (source: Alzheimer's Association)• 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer's• By 2050, that number could triple• Every 68 seconds someone develops Alzheimer's• This year, Alzheimer's will cost the U.S. $203 billion• By 2050, that amount is expected to rise to $1.2 trillion• Nationally, Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death• In Orange County, Alzheimer's is the fourth-leading cause of death• In Orange County, 83,000 residents have Alzheimer's, or related dementia