The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is the largest and most influential international meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science. Each year, AAIC convenes the world’s leading basic science and clinical researchers, next-generation investigators, clinicians and the care research community to share research discoveries that will lead to methods of prevention, treatment and improvements in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Check out highlights from day one below and follow along all week as we discover the latest in Alzheimer’s research. Join the conversation on Twitter with #AAIC23 or follow the Florida chapters on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Florida Researcher Spotlight
Lisa Wiese, from C.E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, presented Improving dementia care through technology and digital interventions; Testing the Feasibility of Tracking Behavior and Physiology Patterns using Wearable Technology to Detect Potential Cognitive Risk among Rural, Multicultural Older Adults
How does your research impact those those at risk for Alzheimer’s? One arm of my research shows that training members of faith-based institutions to serve as trusted research assistants for recruiting, educating, screening, and follow-up with persons at risk for Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia is a highly successful approach to early diagnosis and intervention. Another arm showed that offering an n-back cognitive test via smartwatch technology in an underserved, low-income, low-education rural, older adult cohort was a successful venue for engaging persons in dementia awareness. This is particularly important in light of new treatments available that are most effective in the early stages of the illness, thus easing the disease burden for both the person with dementia and their caregiver.
What gives you hope? I am so thankful that rural communities are participating in efforts to learn what their older residents can do to prevent cognitive decline and stay in their own homes, and that we now have FDA and Medicare approval for new therapy such as Lecanemab to help achieve that.
At any given moment, discovery is happening. We’re fueling diverse dementia research at every stage by identifying bold ideas, raising funds and investing in groundbreaking, high-impact projects through innovative grant programs. Learn more at alz.org/anygivenmoment.
National Dementia Research News
Researchers Reveal First-Ever U.S. County-Level Alzheimer’s Prevalence Estimates – Miami-Dade County Ranked #1
The first-ever county-level estimates of the prevalence of people with Alzheimer’s dementia — in all 3,142 United States counties — were released on Monday at AAIC. Of counties with a 65+ population greater than 10,000, Miami-Dade had the highest prevalence at 16.6%. Learn more.
New Alzheimer’s Treatment, Donanemab, Phase 3 Data Reported at AAIC 2023
Full phase 3 results for donanemab announced today at #AAIC23 offer more hope for those living with early Alzheimer’s. Nearly half of study participants at the earliest stage of disease who received the treatment had no decline at one year. Learn More
CRISPR/Gene Editing Technology Creates New Treatment Possibilities for Alzheimer’s Disease
Two new CRISPR-based therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s were reported on Sunday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2023, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and online. One aims to reduce the impact of the strongest known Alzheimer’s risk gene, APOE-e4. The other strives to reduce production of a toxic protein in the brain, beta amyloid, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and the target of recently-approved treatments. Learn more.
Proposed New Diagnostic Criteria for Alzheimer’s Disease Unveiled at AAIC 2023
A draft proposal for new Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic criteria was presented at AAIC on Monday. They are a revision of the 2018 National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association (NIA-AA) Alzheimer’s research framework and will be available for public comment for 30 days on the Alzheimer’s Association AAIC website. Learn more.
What about the emergence of Leqembi. This drug was uner test evaluation at 36 locations in FL? RR$, Ph.D. retired Chemist
Hello Dr. Shreve, Leqembi was not a part of this year’s announcements at AAIC. We do have a website dedicated to new treatments including information about Leqembi/Lecanemab. Please visit alz.org/treatments. Thank you for your question.
Is it possible for a person currently taking Aduhelm to be switched safely to Leqembi?
There are a lot of factors that could play into that decision so we would recommend working with the person’s doctor about it.