MADISON, Wis. -- The Dean Health Foundation in Madison is giving new hope to families battling Alzheimer's.

It is the only site in the Midwest where doctors hope to duplicate a successful Russian study using the drug Dimebon to stop the progression of the disease.

"This is a very exciting study because we were looking at a drug called Dimebon that has the potential to be a much better treatment for Alzheimer's than we have right now," said Dean's Dr. Leslie Taylor.

Dominico Sella is happy about the news.

Sella cared for his wife at home as she suffered through Alzheimer's. He told WISC-TV that he kept a daily journal of her digression and the many medications she took.

"Oh, it was awful, because to see a person that, for maybe five minutes she's lucid and would talk to you, then, all of a sudden, she's gone," he said.

Doctors said current treatments slow the progression of the disease, but Dimebon my actually prevent brain cells from dying.

"It's sort of like a Band-Aid, the drugs that are out there now. This one would actually be, not a cure of course, but it would actually potentially halt some of the progression of the disease," said Taylor.

Doctors conducting the study are currently recruiting patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's who aren't on any other treatment.

"The study is a six-month study where it's placebo controlled, so subjects could be taking the placebo or they could be taking the drug Dimebon in one of two different doses," said Taylor.

And although the Sella family cannot participate in the study, Alzheimer's research is important to them for the future.

"It's a big deal because on both sides of the family we have Alzheimer's, so myself and my three siblings, we are potentially good candidates to have some sort of dementia later on in life," said Sella.

The study will enroll 525 patients.

For the first six months, patients could potentially receive a placebo pill, but afterward all participants would be able to take the drug until it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Anyone interested in participating in the study can call the Dean Foundation at 608-827-2300.