This volume contains the proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Progress in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease which took place from March 31st to April 5th, 2001, in Kyoto, Japan. This international conference was organized as a joint Congress with the 9th International Catecholamine Symposium, and included a total of 1258 clinicians and researchers from 38 countries throughout the world. The meeting proved a useful opportunity for investigators and clinicians to meet and discuss with people who were working in somewhat different but closely related fields, and to exchange their scientific knowledge and experiences.