Highlights From The Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2021
AsiaNet 90935
DENVER, July 30, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
Research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference(R) (
www.alz.org ) (AAIC(R)) 2021 suggests COVID-19 is associated with long-term
cognitive dysfunction and acceleration of Alzheimer's disease pathology and
symptoms. These studies were among several pieces of groundbreaking research
featured at AAIC 2021.
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"These new data point to disturbing trends showing COVID-19 infections leading
to lasting cognitive impairment and even Alzheimer's symptoms," said Heather
Snyder, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association vice president of medical and scientific
relations. "With more than 190 million cases and over 4 million deaths
worldwide, COVID-19 has devastated the entire world. It is imperative that we
continue to study what this virus is doing to our body and brain."
Other new data reported at AAIC 2021 included:
-- Improving air quality may reduce dementia risk.
-- Global prevalence of dementia is expected to nearly triple to more than 152
million by 2050.
-- Transgender and gender nonbinary adults in the United States are more likely
to report worsening memory and thinking, functional limitations and depression
than cisgender individuals.
-- Communities of color, historically underrepresented in dementia research,
are more willing to participate if they are invited, want to contribute to the
study's goal or have a family member with dementia.
With FDA-accelerated approval of aducanumab (Aduhelm, Biogen/Eisai) for mild
cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer's, there is new energy and
interest in other treatments in the Alzheimer's/dementia therapeutic pipeline.
Reports at AAIC 2021 included new data and analyses of the furthest advanced
investigational anti-amyloid drugs — donanemab (Eli Lilly) and lecanemab
(Biogen/Eisai) — plus a wide variety of other approaches, including anti-tau
strategies, anti-inflammatory targets, and neuroprotection and regenerative
medicine.
"As the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's research, care and
support, the Alzheimer's Association believes we're living in a new era of
advancement. We're seeing at AAIC this year dozens of novel treatment
approaches that are gaining momentum in clinical trials," said Maria C.
Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association chief science officer. "Alzheimer's is
a complex brain disease, and very likely will need multiple treatment
strategies that address the disease in several different ways along the length
of its course. These treatments, once discovered and approved, may then be
combined into powerful combination therapies."
AAIC is the premier annual forum for presentation and discussion of the latest
Alzheimer's and dementia research. This year's hybrid conference event took
place both virtually and in-person in Denver and attracted over 11,000
attendees and more than 3,000 scientific presentations.
COVID-19 Associated with Long-Term Cognitive Dysfunction, Acceleration of
Alzheimer's Symptoms Much has been learned about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that
causes the novel coronavirus, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, questions remain about the long-term impact of the virus on our bodies
and brains. New data presented at AAIC 2021 from Greece and Argentina suggest
older adults frequently suffer long-term cognitive impairment, including
persistent lack of smell, after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
These new data are the first reports from an international consortium —
including the Alzheimer's Association and teams from nearly 40 countries — who
are researching COVID-19's long-term effects on the central nervous system.
Improving Air Quality Reduces Dementia Risk, Multiple Studies Suggest
Improving air quality may improve cognitive function and reduce dementia risk,
according to several studies reported at AAIC 2021. Among the key findings are:
-- Reduction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and traffic-related pollutants
(NO2) over 10 years was associated with 14% and 26% reductions, respectively,
in dementia risk and slower cognitive decline in older U.S. women, according to
results from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study-Epidemiology of
Cognitive Health Outcomes (WHIMS-ECHO).
-- In a French study, reduction of PM2.5 concentration over 10 years was
associated with a 15% reduced risk of all-cause dementia and 17% reduced risk
of Alzheimer's.
-- Long-term exposure to air pollutants was associated with higher beta amyloid
levels in a large U.S. cohort, showing a possible biological connection between
air quality and physical brain changes that define Alzheimer's disease,
according to a team at University of Washington.
Global Dementia Cases Forecasted to Triple by 2050
Positive trends in global education access are expected to decrease dementia
prevalence worldwide by 6.2 million cases by the year 2050. Meanwhile,
anticipated counter-trends in increased smoking, high body mass index and high
blood sugar are predicted to increase prevalence by nearly the same number: 6.8
million cases. A team from the University of Washington modeled these
projections on health data collected and analyzed by a worldwide consortium of
researchers between 1990 and 2019 as part of the Global Burden of Disease
study. Also reported at AAIC 2021:
-- Each year, an estimated 350,000 individuals develop early onset dementia
(prior to age 65) globally, according to researchers in the Netherlands. To
address the need for services for this population, the Alzheimer's Association
helped launch the Longitudinal Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Study (LEADS) (
https://alz.org/leads/overview.asp ) to look at early onset disease progression.
-- From 1999 to 2019, the U.S. mortality rate from Alzheimer's in the overall
population significantly increased from 16 to 30 deaths per 100,000, an 88%
increase, according to researchers at Emory University. Among all areas of the
U.S., mortality rates for Alzheimer's were highest in rural areas in the East
South-Central region of the U.S., where the death rate from Alzheimer's is 274
per 100,000 in those over 65. Lowest Alzheimer's mortality was found in the
Mid-Atlantic region.
Transgender Adults More Likely to Experience Subjective Cognitive Decline,
Depression Transgender and gender nonbinary adults in the United States are
more likely to report worsening memory and thinking, functional limitations and
depression compared to cisgender (non-transgender) adults, according to two
studies reported at AAIC 2021. Key findings include:
-- Transgender adults — individuals who identify with a gender different than
the one assigned to them at birth — were nearly twice as likely to report
worsening confusion or memory loss (subjective cognitive decline, or SCD) and
more than twice as likely to report SCD-related functional limitations, such as
reduced ability to work, volunteer or be social, according to researchers at
Emory University.
-- Prevalence of depression was significantly higher for transgender and gender
nonbinary adults (individuals who identify outside the male/female binary)
(37%) compared to cisgender adults (19.2%), according to a team at University
of Wisconsin.
-- Little is known about dementia and cognitive impairment among transgender
individuals. However, transgender adults experience a greater number of health
disparities considered risk factors for dementia, including cardiovascular
disease, depression, diabetes, tobacco/alcohol use and obesity. Social
inequities may also play a role in increasing risk of cognitive impairment.
Addressing Diversity in Alzheimer's Clinical Trials
At AAIC 2021, the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the U.S. National
Institutes of Health, launched a new online tool, Outreach Pro, to help
researchers and clinicians increase awareness and participation in clinical
trials on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, especially among
traditionally underrepresented communities. Other key findings reported first
at AAIC 2021 include:
-- Historically under-represented individuals are most willing to volunteer for
a clinical trial if they are invited to participate (85%), want to contribute
to the goal of research (83%) or have a family member with the disease (74%),
according to a team at University of Wisconsin.
-- They also found that African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian
respondents are significantly more likely to volunteer if asked by a person of
the same race, and are more concerned than Whites about disruption of work and
family responsibilities and availability of transportation and childcare.
-- Commonly used Alzheimer's clinical trial exclusion criteria have the
potential to disproportionately affect African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos,
which may play a role in their reduced enrollment in research, according to NIA
researchers.
About the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's
largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's
and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research
program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia
and fostering a vital, collegial research community.
AAIC 2021 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/
AAIC 2021 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp
AAIC 2021 hashtag: #AAIC21
About the Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization
dedicated to Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the
way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global
research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality
care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other
dementia(R). Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
SOURCE: Alzheimer’s Association
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