Two groundbreaking studies have come to light for Alzheimer’s patients: a new blood test that could revolutionize Alzheimer’s diagnoses and a weight loss drug showing promise in slowing cognitive decline.
At the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, these new studies were revealed in the effort to fight against a disease affecting over 6 million Americans each year.
The conference, which took place in Philadelphia, is the largest gathering of Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers in the world, with 8,500 researchers participating in-person and 4,500 virtually.
Natalie Sutton, executive director for the Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, participated in the event and was eager to report the findings back home.
“Scientists really use this conference as an opportunity to present their work and their recent findings,” Sutton said.
The big story of the conference, according to Sutton, was the studies to improve both the diagnosis and the treatment of those suffering from Alzheimer’s. Namely, improvements in blood testing and medications to slow cognitive decline.
The new blood tests are 90% accurate in identifying Alzheimer’s disease in patients with cognitive symptoms. Primary care physicians were just 63% accurate and specialists were 73% accurate when not using the blood test to diagnose.
“Blood tests, once they (a) are confirmed in large populations to be more than 90% accurate and (b) become more widely available, show promise for improving, and possibly redefining, the clinical trial recruitment process and the diagnostic work-up for Alzheimer’s,” said Maria C. Carrillo, Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead.
The results from the study may show that Alzheimer’s patients may be able to access treatment more quickly, improving the results.
“Blood tests have the potential to increase the accuracy of early diagnoses and maximize the opportunity to access Alzheimer’s treatments as early as possible for better outcomes,” Carrillo said.
Blood tests are not only a faster way to diagnose, but a simpler and less expensive route.
“The current ways that we can diagnose or confirm Alzheimer’s disease are brain imaging or spinal fluid analysis, and they are very accurate, but they are a lot more expensive and not always accessible to various communities,” Sutton said.
The other big story was the discovery that a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug typically used to help with diabetes, weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease was now also showing promise in protecting the brain.
The drug appears to reduce the shrinking in the parts of the brain that control memory, learning, language and decision-making by nearly 50%. This may be used to help patients with Alzheimer’s disease reduce cognitive decline by as much as 18%.
“The slower loss of brain volume suggests (GLP-1) protects the brain, much like statins protect the heart,” said Paul Edison, who led the trial.
Although there is no definitive answer to why the drug appears to be working, the effects give people like Sutton hope for the future.
“This was a phase two trial, meaning it’s not definitive yet, but it’s really promising,” Sutton said.
For more information about the Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and how to support, visit alz.org/Indiana.
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
