In a sign that researchers are grappling with therapy development, the 4th annual conference on Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease was filled beyond its venue's capacity, drawing 522 researchers from around the globe. Held 3-5 November 2011 in San Diego, CTAD is the brainchild of Paul Aisen, Jacques Touchon, Bruno Vellas, and Michael Weiner. The conference posted no ringing trial successes. Instead, scientists worked on methodological aspects they hope will improve future trials' chances. They discussed Bayesian models, simulated placebos, and biomarker data standards. They presented alternative outcome measures to the ADAS-cog, ranging widely from composite scales that are sensitive early on to continuous measures that encompass a patients' day-to-day variability. They focused on EEG, and on a collective effort to develop patient-reported outcomes. Highlights include: