Amidst the debates over the Confederate flag and reactions to marriage equality, the news of the Senate approving a 60 percent increase to Alzheimer’s disease research, on June 25, went largely unnoticed. However, should this $350 million raise get passed into law, the country will be one step closer to cracking the enigmatic mental disease.

A branch of dementia, Alzheimer's seems to be one of the least-publicized diseases of America. There isn’t a month dedicated to stocking shelves full of purple-ribbon merchandise. Television advertisements aren’t aired featuring images of elderly people accompanied by a Sarah McLachlan song in order to fundraise for a cure, nor do we see a pantheon of celebrities endorsing donations for research, a lá St. Jude commercials.

Seth Rogen pushed Alzheimer’s into the spotlight in early 2014 when he marched onto Capitol Hill and addressed the Senate Committee on Appropriations about “the lack of funding for adequate treatment or cure.” In his address, Rogen expanded on the “shame and stigma associated with the disease” as well as what it’s like living with someone with Alzheimer’s.

Since then, the Alzheimer’s Accountability Act has been passed into law. According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are steps in place for the National Institutes of Health to determine an annual budget for research from 2017 to 2025 based on the goals outlined by the “National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease.” These moves by Congress signify progress, financially, but there are still other factors up for consideration. While the causes of Alzheimer’s are largely unknown, scientists keep cranking out research related to the disease.

As a college student who experienced numerous all-nighters, the study on sleep and dementia caught my eye and prompted slight concern. The University of California Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab found that a low amount of deep non-REM sleep causes a beta-amyloid buildup in neurons, thereby preventing memories from cementing during sleep. This particular study is now being conducted on a larger scale in hopes of discerning a stronger trend, but it’s enough for me to kick the all-nighter habit.

As a female millennial, I am also concerned about new information emerging about the higher impact Alzheimer’s has on women, compared to men. The list is substantial and includes psychological, financial, and physical health tolls. There's even an emerging trend of lower estrogen levels found in post-menopausal Alzheimer's patients. However, delving further into the topic of Alzheimer’s made me realize that this should be a topic on the minds of all millennials. Even if there are no definitive precautions, we can still try to live a healthy lifestyle, and exhibit patience and kindness towards our elders, especially those exhibiting signs of dementia.

Ours will be the generation making leaps and bounds in dementia research. Hopefully, we’ll also be the ones to completely de-stigmatize the disease and improve on the care given to those diagnosed. But if we don't step up, seek this knowledge out ourselves, and take active measures towards continuing the Alzheimer's conversation, the progress we're headed towards may fade away like a memory.