Dementia is among the most difficult health issues that we face as a society, devastating to those affected as well as their friends and families. It touches virtually all of us in some way (my mother and maternal grandmother were both tragic victims). In addition to the extremely high physical and emotional toll it takes, which is by far its most compelling impact, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias involve very high economic costs. The proposed Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), which voters will have an opportunity to approve the funding for in November, can play a vital role in finding solutions.
Dementia is an umbrella term for disorders that impact memory, thinking, and behavior, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most well-known. These conditions are a leading cause of disability, the second leading cause of death worldwide, and a major factor in rising healthcare expense. As many as 500,000 Texans suffer from some form of dementia.
DPRIT is structured much like the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), which has been highly successful in bringing top cancer researchers and physicians to the state. Such research entities also generate substantial economic benefits through ongoing operations, commercialization of findings, and improvements in outcomes.
