West Virginia University has been awarded federal funds to expand research into Alzheimer’s disease.
WVU was awarded more than $420,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for research into stroke and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias.
In a joint statement, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin said that Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 39,000 West Virginians, and that stroke is the seventh leading cause of death in West Virginia.
“Having cared for both of my parents who suffered from Alzheimer’s, I understand the impact that this disease and others can have on caregivers and families,” Capito said.
The announcement comes after WVU chemistry major Rachel McNeel presented her research on early detection of Alzheimer’s to Congress earlier this week.
Nationally, the CDC estimated in 2020 that nearly 6 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease. Officials expect that number to triple by 2060.