Promising new Alzheimer’s research The world’s largest forum for the dementia research community, the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) drew more than 10,000 researchers from around the world to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Following are highlights of some of the leading research projects that were presented at this year’s forum. ▶ Promising results from donanemab phase 3 trials Phase 3 trial data for donanemab (monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid, a sticky neuron-damaging protein in the brain) among patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s showed a 60% slowing of cognitive decline compared to patients on placebo. ▷ Nearly half (47%) of study participants at the earliest stage of the disease who received donanemab had no clinical progression at one year. ▶ Hearing aids slow cognitive decline Hearing loss is present in 65% of adults over age 60, according to researchers. This study looked at a subgroup of older adults with hearing loss who were at higher risk for cognitive decline (about ¼ of the total study population). This study showed that those participants at highest risk for cognitive decline who utilized hearing aids and hearing counseling for three years cut their cognitive decline in half (48%).
▶ Gut health & constipation 16% of the world’s population struggles with constipation – more among older adults due to fiber-deficient diets, lack of exercise and the use of certain medications. Researchers found that bowel movement frequency of every three days or more was associated with 73% higher odds of subjective cognitive decline and long-term health issues like inflammation, hormonal imbalances and anxiety/depression. ▶ Advances in blood tests for Alzheimer’s A simple finger-prick blood test, similar to what people with diabetes do daily, shows promise in the ability to detect Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in Sweden collected blood samples and shipped them overnight, without temperature control or cooling, and found the results for detecting warning signs of tau and other elements consistent with Alzheimer’s risk to be comparable to standard blood collection. ▷ The ability to collect blood samples remotely, without refrigeration, will significantly increase the accessibility of these tests, particularly to rural areas. ▷ In a related Swedish study, primary care physicians (PCPs) correctly identified the presence of Alzheimer’s-related changes in 55% of cases while the blood test did so in more than 85% of cases.
26 The Acumen
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