[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12022]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. STEVEN DeKOSKY

 Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, next month our nation acknowledges 
the more than 4 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's disease 
and the 19 million who are their caregivers. National Alzheimer's month 
is a time to reflect on those who are afflicted as well as those who 
are dedicating their lives to eradicating this disease.
  I bring to your attention one of those who is committed to creating a 
world without Alzheimer's. His name is Dr. Steven DeKosky and since 
1990, he has been an the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School 
of Medicine where among other things, he directs the Alzheimer's 
Disease Research Center funded by the National Institute on Aging. Dr. 
DeKosky's accomplishments are enormous as reflected in his curriculum 
vitae, which is some 36 pages long. If I tried to list all of his 
achievements it would fill dozens of pages of the Congressional Record. 
In the interests of the taxpayers, I'll mention only a few of Dr. 
DeKosky's contributions.
  As a renowned Alzheimer researcher, clinician and teacher, Dr. 
DeKosky is dedicated to finding answers to the Alzheimer's puzzle. To 
this end, he is active in basic and clinical research. His basic 
research is on the structural and neurochemical changes in human brains 
with dementia. His clinical research focuses on four key areas. One is 
to find ways of diagnosing the disease more effectively and 
differentiating it from other related diseases. A second area involves 
neuroimaging, which helps to confirm other diagnostic techniques, but 
also opens ``windows'' to the brain to enable scientists to understand 
the disease better. A third area of study, and one that is offering 
very exciting possibilities for treatment, is the assessment of genetic 
risk factors in Alzheimer's. Finally, he is involved in clinical trials 
to assess new medications for Alzheimer's disease.
  Dr. DeKosky is active in the American Academy of Neurology and the 
American Neurological Association. The latter organization honored him 
with its ``Presidential Award'' in 1988. He is listed in ``The Best 
Doctors in America.'' He serves on the editorial boards of the 
``Archives of Neurology'' and the ``Alzheimer Disease and Associated 
Disorders: An International Journal.'' He also received a Teacher 
Investigator Development Award from the National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
  Despite his involvement in dozens of research projects and other 
academic pursuits, Dr. DeKosky contributes vast amounts of time as a 
volunteer to the Alzheimer cause. He currently chairs the national 
Alzheimer's Association's Medical and Scientific Advisory Council and 
is a member of the board of the Alzheimer's Association. He chairs the 
Professional Advisory Board of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the 
Alzheimer's Association and was a founding member of the Lexington-Blue 
Grass Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
  Dr. DeKosky has a special gift as a communicator of science. Whether 
in the classroom or speaking to groups of family members in the 
community, Dr. DeKosky has a knack for making the complex seem simple. 
He expresses the enthusiasm and hope created by scientific research in 
Alzheimer's, which is offering promise to Americans of all ages that 
their future may not be blighted by this dread disease. And, he has a 
sense of humor and a healthy dose of humility, which allows him to 
``connect'' to those to whom he speaks.
  Mr. President, I believe it is important to acknowledge the unsung 
heroes who are working tirelessly in laboratories and in the clinic to 
make our world less disease-prone. Dr. Steven DeKosky is one of those 
exemplary citizens who through his daily efforts is bringing about a 
better tomorrow.

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