In 1994, former President Ronald Reagan disclosed that he had Alzheimer's disease.

First identified in 1906, Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disorder that causes the gradual loss of brain cells. This loss of brain cells causes a wide variety of symptoms associated with a decline in thinking skills, including a gradual loss of memory, problems with reasoning or judgment, disorientation, difficulty in learning, the loss of language skills and a decline in the ability to perform routine tasks. No one knows exactly what causes Alzheimer’s, but it is theorized that genetics and family history may play a role. Age is certainly a factor, as the likelihood of having the disease increases dramatically for people over age 85. In 1994, when former President Reagan publicly and formally announced that he was afflicted with the disease, it was already generally known that he had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for some time. It is even possible that he was suffering from the earliest symptoms during the tail end of his tenure in office. One of the pleasures of a post-presidency is that former chief executives get to give lectures, offer their wisdom and appreciate the "legacy" of their public service. Sadly, President Reagan’s affliction with Alzheimer’s disease prevented him from enjoying these benefits of having served in the highest office in the land.

Science NetLinks
The first of a two-part series, Aging 1: The Science of Aging (6-8) has students discuss research methods and examine factors that may affect aging. Students also review online information about cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of aging.

In the second lesson, Aging 2: How Scientists Study Aging (6-8), students learn about ways scientists study aging, and focus specifically the study of the relationship between aging and caloric reduction.

Monkey Brains (6-12) focuses on questions surrounding the regeneration of brain cells. While scientists previously thought that humans are born with all the brain cells they will have, recent discoveries made in a study done on monkey brains by psychologist Charles Gross at Princeton University lend credence to the theory that some human brain cells may be capable of regenerating.