Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia, in which people lose memory, thinking skills and the ability to live independently. Alzheimer’s disease affects approximately 57 million people worldwide, and it’s estimated that this number will rise to 153 million by 2050. Recent progress in the area of human genetics in addition to advanced technology and screening tools is helping us better understand pathology in the brain and fueling innovative research in Alzheimer’s.

Schizophrenia is a serious, debilitating disorder in which people experience impairments in thinking, motivation and function. Most dramatic are the intermittent acute psychotic episodes, characterized by intense hallucinations, delusions and odd behaviors. Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people around the world. As scientific discovery in the field continues to evolve, we’re conducting innovative research with the goal of advancing treatment options for this often-stigmatized condition.

Nearly every day, billions of people around the world have pain, which inflicts functional, physical and psychological damage as their ability to work and maintain a family and social life is often compromised. Pain is characterized as acute or chronic. Acute pain is very common and typically the result of injury or surgery. Chronic pain persists beyond the time when tissue normally heals — typically more than three months.  We’re researching and evaluating validated targets with the aim of discovering new options to treat people living with both acute and chronic pain.

Narcolepsy is a life-long sleep disorder in which the brain is unable to regulate sleeping patterns, resulting in excessive drowsiness. People with this disorder have trouble staying awake and may fall asleep suddenly, which significantly impacts their daily lives. Narcolepsy can also cause a temporary loss of muscle control (called cataplexy), sleep paralysis and excessive dreaming, among other symptoms. Approximately 3 million people worldwide are affected by narcolepsy.

More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease. The progressive nervous system disorder is characterized by tremors, difficulty initiating movements, loss of facial expression, impaired cognition and loss of ability to function independently. Given the impact of Parkinson’s, our research is focused on the potential to slow or halt disease progression.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive nervous system disorder in which nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord break down. Over time, people with this disease become unable to make voluntary muscle movements, and eventually may lose the ability to eat, speak, move or perform life-sustaining functions like breathing. ALS is estimated to affect approximately five out of every 100,000 people worldwide, with 90% of cases occurring without family history. More research is needed to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat ALS.