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DR. PATRICIO F. REYES, M.D., F.A.N.N.

DIRECTOR OF THE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, COGNITIVE

Dr. Patricio F. Reyes, a board certified neurologist, neuropathologist and pioneer in the study of Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disorders, was lured to the Valley of the Sun two years ago by Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center to become their director.

Reyes, a Philippine native of Spanish and Chinese descent, is respected worldwide for his knowledge of aging and Alzheimer’s. He has served as a visiting professor at medical schools throughout the U.S., and in China, Hungary, the Philippines, Indonesia and Italy.

He was one of the first to establish rapid autopsy brain banking, in which brain tissue from an Alzheimer’s patient who has just died is sampled for clues to the disease. Reyes was the first to build Alzheimer’s disease and dementia centers in Texas, Pennsylvania and Nebraska. His early work in these fields enabled him to play a role in the development of the first FDA-approved drug for Alzheimer’s.

His many successes have come from a deep passion for caring for the elderly, a commitment rooted in the love of his mother who saw to it that her 10 children received college educations. (His father, a Philippine governor and congressman, died when Reyes’ mother was 36.)

Reyes was the ninth of 10 siblings. His parents’ legacy affected his career choices.

“When I travel to conferences, I am often asked why I became interested in older people. I didn’t really get to take care of my parents, and I think that has influenced me,” he said.

Interestingly, this polished yet genial physician often describes himself as a “country doc” – a self-effacing term that begs explanation.

“I grew up in the country, and I think I’ll never change,” he laughs. “To me growing up in the country gave you a real appreciation of family values – and that includes respect for your elders.”

Reyes moved to Manila to further his education, receiving his bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of the Philippines. His numerous honors began when he was named the Rosendo Llamas scholar.

While serving his residency in internal medicine at Philippine General Hospital, he switched to neurology.

He began his U.S. academic career at the University of Texas in San Antonio in 1980 as the assistant professor of neurology and pathology, and chief of neurology at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital, training neurology residents at Brooks Army Hospital and the U.S. Air Force Wilford Hall.

While in Texas, his studies on aluminum neurotoxicity, sleep apnea and dementia attracted attention nationwide. At Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia he built the state’s first Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Center and Brain Bank – the prototype for others he helped start in the U.S., Hungary, South America and Asia.

“I’ve always believed we should prepare for the time when we have older people, and that time is here. When we were in med school everyone was trying to prolong life. We’ve been successful in prolonging life, but we now have a lot of problems,” said Reyes.

When he speaks of our aging society (the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that by 2030 the numbers of older Americans will more than double to 70 million, or one in every five citizens), Reyes becomes impassioned.

“Our society is geared toward younger people and that in itself has influenced public policy. We fear and perhaps look down on older people…. There’s a big disparity in the treatment of the elderly, and these are people who are compromised mentally and physically. They’re fragile and they deserve our care.”