Perspectives from Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers site directors on the early steps and the lasting impact

Abstract Since the groundbreaking work of Alois Alzheimer in the early 1900s, Alzheimer's disease research has evolved immensely, most notably with the establishment of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRC). Fueled by the vision and funding of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), ADRCs have created a legacy through their work standardizing criteria for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Leveraging the experience of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease, the ADRCs advanced standardized assessment tools, including the Clinical and Neuropsychological Batteries, as well as the CDR, which would make way for uniform data collection, in what we know today as the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC). Collaborative data collection was expanded by NIA to support the development of treatments for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) through the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) and the Alzheimer's Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC) programs. These NIA sponsored programs have created a foundation for today's pharmacological and non‐pharmacological interventions to improve cognition and function in persons living with ADRD.