Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of United States, died today after struggling with Alzheimer's Disease for almost 15 years. (The New York Times has a wonderful 18 page overview of Reagan's presidency.)

As Nancy Reagan would attest, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a debilitating disease that affects not only an individual, but entire families. It remains an area for which few treatments are available. AD is a degenerative disease of unknown origin. The disease typically strikes between the ages of 50 and 60 and is characterized by the gradual death and disappearance of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. Early clinical signs include marked forgetfulness and episodes of mental confusion. In advanced stages, memory is almost completely obliterated and the disabling effects of the disease are so severe that patients require institutional care.

AD is estimated to cost the U.S. economy $100 billion annually and affects up to four million patients in the U.S. alone. Over 100 companies are currently involved in developing diagnostics and therapeutics for AD. AD treatments are part of the growing cogniceutical market that focus on memory, learning, attention and attention. Mental illnesses included in the cogniceutical market include: ADHD, Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, dementia, psychosis, sleep disorders among others. Among the neuroceutical companies developing cogniceuticals are private one's like Addex Pharmaceuticals and Saegis Pharmaceuticals and the recently public Memory Pharmaceuticals.

The AD market in the seven major pharmaceutical markets is worth $4.7 billion and are expected to increase to $6.1 billion by the year 2005 and $7.8 billion by the year 2010. Unfortunately, Reagan will not be able to benefit from the "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Effect," that will result in major cogniceutical breakthroughs in the next ten years and improve mental health expectancy to new levels.