Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Emory's ADRC Present A FAMILY AFFAIR, Oct. 27

On Thursday, October 27, Emory University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will come together for A FAMILY AFFAIR. The event, chaired by Madeline and Howell Adams, will feature dinner and a concert. Led by Music Director Robert Spano, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform the U.S. premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen's Nyx in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center. The program also will include Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy and Rachmaninov's The Bells.

"We are proud to lead this collaboration between Emory's ADRC and Robert Spano of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as we further explore the connection between music education and the brain," said event chair Howell Adams, whose wife and co-chair Madeline is living with Alzheimer's. "Both music and Alzheimer's have made an indelible mark on our lives, and we look forward to bringing the two together at this event."

Themed "Music and the Brain," the evening will combine music and a presentation highlighting recent research demonstrating the effectiveness of music in delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. A study published by Emory neuroscientist Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, PhD, demonstrated that childhood music lessons may pay off decades later, even for those who no longer play an instrument, by keeping the mind sharper as people age.

"As physicians, we have long known that listening to music can reduce stress and enhance experiences," said Allan Levey, MD, PhD, director of Emory's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and chairman of the department of neurology at Emory. "Yet, it wasn't until Dr. Hanna-Pladdy completed her research on the impact of studying a musical instrument in our youth that we fully comprehended the role of music education in delaying the aging of the brain."

"Dr. Hanna-Pladdy's study shows that an investment in music education pays life-long dividends," said Atlanta Symphony Orchestra President Stanley E. Romanstein, PhD. "Music affects us all, and we must strive to bring the power of music to bear on the life of every member of our community."

Sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company, the event will help raise funds to support Emory's ADRC so that it can continue to provide cutting edge research, education and clinical care. A FAMILY AFFAIR will honor James Lah, MD, Phd, clinical core director of Emory's ADRC and associate professor of neurology, as well as Janet Cellar, DNP, executive director of Emory's ADRC.

Emory's ADRC is a National Institutes of Health-funded center focused on clinical trials and research for Alzheimer's disease. The only comprehensive program in Georgia and one of only 29 nationwide, the Emory ADRC seeks cures through basic laboratory research bringing new diagnostic methods and treatments to the clinic and providing patients and their families with access to state of the art care and advances.

Members of the Host Committee include: Sue and John Wieland, Robin and Hilton Howell, Nita and Mack Robinson, Pearlann and Gerry Horowitz, Betts and Dennis Love, Rhonda and Bert Ponder, Carolyn and Lem Hewes, Emily and Mike McIntyre, Andrew and Gretchen Taylor and Carolyn and Andrew Young, among others.

To learn more about Emory's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, visit http://med.emory.edu/ADRC.