Perspectives from the world's largest Alzheimer's disease research conference: Stockholm, Sweden, July 2002.

The 8th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, held in Stockholm, Sweden from July 20 to 25, 2002, provided an exciting forum for nearly 3700 researchers from 78 countries to present and discuss advances in dementia research on a worldwide stage. Hosted by the Alzheimer's Association (Chicago, IL), this largest dementia research conference ever held united experienced researchers and relative newcomers to the field to learn from one another, challenge one another's thinking, and explore new possibilities for collaboration. The 12-fold growth in attendance, up from 300 scientists at the 1st International Research Conference in 1988, signals the increasing global importance of Alzheimer's disease in the research community as well as among policy makers and the general public. In fact, a recent survey of older Americans by the National Council on the Aging revealed that future memory loss was the number one health worry of the American elderly population.