5 THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S IN 2024
Alzheimer's Association - Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
For more information about the author, click to view their website: Alzheimer's Association
Jan 09, 2025
Florida - Sarasota, Bradenton & Charlotte Counties
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2024 was a productive year for
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research, including advancements in diagnosis,
treatment and risk management. Here are five significant discoveries from this
year:
U.S.
FDA approves third new drug that slows the course of Alzheimer’s disease
In July 2024, people living with early
Alzheimer’s and organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association celebrated
FDA approval of Kisunla, the third approval since 2021 of a treatment that
slows progression and changes the underlying course of the disease.
Alzheimer’s Association president and
CEO, Dr. Joanne Pike said, “This is real progress. [This FDA] approval allows
people more options and greater opportunity to have more time. Having multiple
treatment options is the kind of advancement we’ve all been waiting for.”
In this new era of treatment, there is an
urgent need to better understand how new and future Alzheimer’s therapies work
in real-world settings. That way, we can better understand their long-term
health and safety outcomes in everyday settings. The Alzheimer’s Network for
Treatment and Diagnostics (ALZ-NET) is a first-of-its-kind Alzheimer’s network
dedicated to tracking real-world diagnostic and treatment outcomes. ALZ-NET
also provides ongoing education and resources for clinicians, patients and
families, helping them stay informed about the latest developments in
Alzheimer's research and care.
Blood
tests for Alzheimer’s could improve accuracy of diagnosis and speed access to
treatment
Highly accurate blood tests for
Alzheimer’s are moving closer to broader use in physician’s offices. Research
reported this year suggests they may highly improve the accuracy of diagnosis
and provide a quicker path to research participation and treatment.
Dementia is often underdiagnosed — and if
it is diagnosed by a clinician, many people are unaware or uninformed of their
diagnosis. Blood tests for Alzheimer’s are demonstrating in research that they
could significantly improve a clinician’s accuracy and confidence, provide
greater accessibility and a reason for more communication.
Blood tests that accurately and reliably
detect Alzheimer’s-related brain changes signal a shift to simpler, more
accurate and earlier detection and diagnosis, potentially superseding current
methods that are expensive, invasive and not always accessible.
In one study reported this year, a
specific blood test was around 90% accurate in identifying Alzheimer’s in
patients with cognitive symptoms seen in primary care and at specialized memory
care clinics. Other research suggests that blood tests, once they are
validated, could enhance recruitment for Alzheimer’s clinical trials and slash
wait times for Alzheimer’s disease assessment. This research was funded in part
by the Alzheimer’s Association.
Individuals
and caregivers want more support after a dementia diagnosis
Following a dementia diagnosis,
individuals and their care partners want and need help navigating the complex
health care system. A 2024 Alzheimer’s Association survey revealed that 97% of
dementia caregivers say they would find these services helpful. The survey
found that a majority of dementia caregivers (70%) report that coordination of
care is stressful.
In July, the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services launched an eight-year pilot program in dementia care
management. The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model works
with health systems and providers to deliver supportive services to people
living with dementia. The primary aims of GUIDE are to (1) improve quality of
life for people living with dementia, (2) reduce strain on their unpaid
caregivers and (3) enable people living with dementia to remain in their homes
and communities. The Alzheimer’s Association is participating in GUIDE. The new
Dementia Care Navigation Service, powered by Rippl and the Alzheimer’s
Association, is currently available in Illinois, Missouri, Texas and
Washington. The service will roll out in more states in 2025 and beyond.
Wildfire
smoke raises risk of dementia more than other air pollution
Research has found that exposure to air
pollution is associated with increased risk of dementia. But a new study
reported at AAIC 2024 suggests that breathing in wildfire smoke increases the
risk of being diagnosed with dementia more than other types of air pollution.
These results come from a decade-long study of more than 1.2 million people in
southern California.
The study says air pollution produced by
wildfires now accounts for more than 70% of total particulate exposure on poor
air quality days in California, and calls it “a real problem.” The findings
were most pronounced among individuals from minoritized groups and in high
poverty areas.
Air pollution produced by wildfires might
be more hazardous to health because: it is produced at higher temperatures,
contains a greater concentration of toxic chemicals and, on average, is smaller
in diameter than other sources. More research needs to be done to determine the
exact mechanisms.
Scientists
define Alzheimer’s by the physical changes in the brain
A group of scientists and clinicians
convened by the Alzheimer’s Association published updated criteria for
diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer’s based on the physical changes that happen
in the brain due to the disease — not solely the well-known outward symptoms,
such as memory loss.
Defining diseases by their biology has
long been standard in many areas of medicine — including cancer, heart disease
and diabetes. The new publication defines Alzheimer’s as a biological process
that begins with brain changes before people exhibit memory and thinking
problems. The authors state that progression and expansion of these changes
lead to the later appearance of symptoms, such as memory loss, disorientation,
trouble with planning or organizing, and mental confusion.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease
and dementia research advances, plus available care, information and support
resources — and to join the cause or make a donation — visit the Alzheimer’s
Association at www.alz.org.
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