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Clinical Trials 101

First treatment in two decades approved for Alzheimer’s

The FDA approved the first new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in almost two decades on June 7. Aducanumab is also the first approved drug to change the course of the disease by removing brain plaques, a signature of Alzheimer’s. But mixed results on its ability to slow the decline of memory and thinking skills caused some researchers to question the effectiveness of the novel treatment.

Vaccines, gene therapy and other novel approaches to future Alzheimer’s treatments

Alzheimer’s researchers are seeking new ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Could novel treatments such as vaccines and gene therapy hold the key to a new type of treatment? Researchers are delving into that question.

Participants in Alzheimer’s study regain memory and thinking skills after study ends

The groundbreaking Generation Program gathered the world’s largest group of people at genetic risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease in later life to study a new treatment. However, the study was stopped early when participants developed subtle memory and thinking problems. Learn what scientists found four months after the study when they evaluated participants to see if memory and thinking skills returned to pre-trial levels.

Coming soon - A simple blood test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease

A promising new blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease could soon be a reality. The test is highly accurate in detecting the disease and differentiating it from other causes of dementia. While not yet available for clinical use, the new test could be a game changer for diagnosing a disease that impacts the lives of millions of people around the globe.

The Future of Medicine: A New Era for Alzheimer’s

It is time to start anew. More than a century after neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer gave the first scientific talk describing the disease that bears his name today, we have no good treatments for this thief of minds, and we certainly have no cure. Today 40 million to 50 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The drugs doctors have tried, aimed at a single type of lesion, have repeatedly and agonizingly fallen short. Now scientists are beginning to say it is high time for a fresh approach to the illness.

Two views on Alzheimer's biomarkers: Eyeing changes in vision or pupils

Findings in two separate NIA-funded papers focus on different ways to develop noninvasive, less expensive ways to detect very early-stage Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively healthy people. The studies suggest that changes in vision and pupil responses may be effective biomarkers for Alzheimer’s in those at greater risk for dementia.

Large-scale analysis links glucose metabolism proteins in the brain to Alzheimer’s disease biology

In the largest study to date of proteins related to Alzheimer’s disease, a team of researchers has identified disease-specific proteins and biological processes that could be developed into both new treatment targets and fluid biomarkers. The findings suggest that sets of proteins that regulate glucose metabolism, together with proteins related to a protective role of astrocytes and microglia — the brain’s support cells — are strongly associated with Alzheimer’s pathology and cognitive impairment.

Mild Behavioral Impairment Can Help Predict Alzheimer’s, According to Study

In the late 1890s, a railroad worker in Frankfurt Germany noticed that his wife, Auguste Deter, was behaving oddly. Gradually her anxiety and mood changes gave way to memory loss, delusions and other signs of dementia. Committed to an institution in the care of Dr. Alois Alzheimer, Deter became the first person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A new study establishes that even her subtle, early shifts in behavior —  mild behavioral impairment — were scientifically linked to what was to come.

New Genetic Variant Discovered to Protect Against Risk of Alzheimer’s Gene ApoE4

The Alzheimer’s gene, known as ApoE4, is one of the the largest genetic risk factors for later onset Alzheimer’s disease. Carrying one copy of the gene triples the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, while two copies increase one’s risks more than 12 times.  Scientist now think they may have found a new gene known as KL-VS that may counter the elevated risk associated with ApoE4.

Independent committees help to keep trial participants safe

Who is watching out for your safety in a clinical trial?  Learn how independent data safety monitoring boards are used to evaluate the safety of the trial and make sure participants are protected.