A cast of blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's has emerged from studies in research cohorts, and is now being put to the test in community cohorts. At AAIC, direct comparisons of top contenders showed that some detect amyloid and impending cognitive decline.
In a small pilot study, tailoring lifestyle changes to the individual boosted cognition, with an effect size three times that seen in the Finger trial.
Dare We Say Consensus Achieved: Lecanemab Slows the Disease Brexpiprazole Eases Agitation in People with AD; So Does Being in a Trial Two New Stabs at Vaccinating People Against Pathologic Tau Cognitive Tests Taken at Home Are on Par with In-Clinic Assess
Recent reports of three deaths in the lecanemab extension study suggest that blood thinners, lecanemab, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy could be a dangerous combination.
Last year saw major advances in multi-omics analyses using human tissues, better animal models, deeper functional studies of gene variants, dissections of neuroimmune cell biology, and more.
By triggering release of mitochondrial DNA, tau fibrils may set off a cytosolic sensor that activates the interferon response. Blocking this sensor spared neurons and memory in mice.
Therapeutics research in the field ended on high hopes that lecanemab’s Phase 3 data would carry this anti-Aβ antibody to regulatory approval in country after country in 2023. This wave drew power from progress in biomarker research; but alas, much work remains to be done.