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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