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SAN DIEGO, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

New research reported at the Alzheimer's Association International

Conference(R)   ( https://aaic.alz.org/overview.asp ) (AAIC(R)) 2022 covered

the breadth of Alzheimer's and dementia research, including the basic biology

of aging and the brain, risk factors and prevention strategies, and caregiving

and living well with the disease.

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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 San Diego and attracted over 9,500

attendees and more than 4,000 scientific presentations.

"With record public and private research investment it's an exciting time for

Alzheimer's and dementia research," said Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D  (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3611262-1&h=485008169&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alz.org%2Fpress%2Fspokespeople%2Fheather_m_snyder_ph_d&a=Heather+M.+Snyder%2C+Ph.D

)., Alzheimer's Association vice president of medical and scientific relations.

"Researchers are advancing our understanding of the disease by exploring

biomarkers, discovering potential ways to reduce risk, and working to move

promising treatments and diagnostic tools forward into clinical testing. The

Alzheimer's Association is leading the fight through funding, convening,

publishing, partnerships, advocacy and services."

Advances in Treatments, Clinical Trial Results

The Alzheimer's Association (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3611262-1&h=756814528&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alz.org%2F&a=Alzheimer%27s+Association

) highlighted results from a variety of clinical trials at AAIC 2022.

Encouraging and supporting a diverse treatment pipeline is essential to

achieving the Association's vision of a world without Alzheimer's and all other

dementia. Here are two examples:

The EXERT Study is the longest-ever Phase 3 study of exercise in older adults

with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The results, first reported at AAIC 2022,

are especially noteworthy since the trial was conducted during the COVID-19

pandemic — 80% of participants complied with their exercise regimen and

completed the study. After 12 months, people with MCI in both the aerobic

exercise intervention arm and stretching arm showed no cognitive decline. A

comparison group of other older adults with MCI showed significant cognitive

decline over 12 months. The findings from EXERT suggest that regular physical

activity, even modest or low exertion activity such as stretching, may protect

brain cells against damage.

At AAIC 2022, T3D Therapeutics reported positive interim results from their

Phase 2 trial of T3D-959, which seeks to overcome insulin resistance in the

brain and restore the brain's metabolic health. These encouraging preliminary

results are a positive sign, and final results are anticipated in 2023. As

understanding of the biological underpinnings of Alzheimer's expands, the

opportunity to advance novel approaches such as T3D-959 will also expand.

Also at AAIC, the Alzheimer's Association announced the launch of the

Alzheimer's Network for Treatment and Diagnostics (

https://www.alz.org/professionals/health-systems-clinicians/management/alzheimers-network-for-treatment-diagnostics

) (ALZ-NET), which will collect long-term clinical and safety data from

patients treated with FDA-approved Alzheimer's disease therapies in real world

clinical settings. ALZ-NET is the first network developed specifically for new

FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments, collecting evidence on effectiveness and

side effects over a long period of time.

Experiences of Racism Associated with Poor Memory, Increased Cognitive Decline

Experiences of structural, interpersonal and institutional racism are

associated with lower memory scores and worse cognition in midlife and old age,

especially among Black individuals.

   -In a study of nearly 1,000 middle-aged community-dwelling adults (55%

    Latinx; 23% Black; 19% White), exposure to interpersonal and institutional

    racism was associated with lower memory scores; the associations were

    strongest in Black individuals. Experiences of structural racism were

    associated with lower episodic memory among all racial and ethnic groups

    included in the study.

   -In a study of 445 Asian, Black, Latino, White and multiracial people age 90

    and above, individuals who experienced wide-ranging discrimination

    throughout life had poorer long-term memory in late life compared to those

    who experienced little to no discrimination.

History of Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk of

Dementia

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) — conditions of high blood pressure

including chronic/gestational hypertension and preeclampsia — have been

strongly linked to heart disease in later life, but before today, little

research has connected these disorders with cognition. Experiences of high

blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk

of vascular dementia and accelerated brain aging, according to several studies

at AAIC 2022:

   -Women with a history of HDP were more likely to develop vascular dementia —

    a decline in thinking skills caused by conditions that block or reduce

blood

    flow to the brain — later in life, compared to women with non-hypertensive

    pregnancies.

   -Experience of HDP, specifically high blood pressure during pregnancy, was

    associated with white matter pathology, a predictor of accelerated

cognitive

    decline, 15 years after pregnancy.

   -Women with severe preeclampsia had significantly higher levels of beta

    amyloid, an Alzheimer's-related brain change, as measured in blood compared

    to those with non-hypertensive pregnancies.

Persistent Loss of Smell Due to COVID-19 Closely Connected to Long-Lasting

Cognitive Problems, and ICU Stays May Double Risk of Dementia in Older Adults

New insights into factors that may predict, increase or protect against the

impact of COVID-19 and the pandemic on memory and thinking skills were revealed

by multiple studies at AAIC 2022. A research group from Argentina found that

persistent loss of the sense of smell may be a better predictor of long-term

cognitive and functional impairment than severity of the initial COVID-19

disease. In a large study population from nine Latin American countries,

experiencing a positive life change during the pandemic, such as more quality

time with friends and family, reduced the negative impact of the pandemic on

memory and thinking skills. Finally, hospitalization in the intensive care unit

(ICU) was associated with double the risk of dementia in older adults,

according to Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago. These findings could

be significant given the tremendous upsurge in ICU hospitalizations during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Ultra-Processed Foods May Speed Cognitive Decline

A study presented at AAIC 2022 finds that people who eat large amounts of

ultra-processed foods have a faster decline in cognition. Researchers studied

10,775 people over eight years and found that high consumption (more than 20%

of daily intake) of ultra-processed foods led to a 28% faster decline in global

cognitive scores, including memory, verbal fluency and executive function.

Ultra-processed foods go through significant industrial processes and contain

large quantities of fats, sugar, salt, artificial flavors/colors, stabilizers

and/or preservatives. Examples include sodas, breakfast cereals, white bread,

potato chips and frozen "junk" foods.

Lower Socioeconomic Status, Persistent Low Wages Linked to Dementia Risk and

Faster Memory Decline

Socioeconomic status (SES) — reflecting both social and economic measures of a

person's work experience, and of an individual's or family's economic access to

resources and social position — has been linked to both physical and

psychological health and well-being. Socioeconomic deprivation, including

neighborhood disadvantages and persistent low wages, are associated with higher

dementia risk, lower cognitive performance and faster memory decline, according

to several studies:

   -Individuals who experience high socioeconomic deprivation — measured using

    income/wealth, unemployment rates, car/home ownership and household

    overcrowding — are significantly more likely to develop dementia compared

to

    individuals of better socioeconomic status, even at high genetic risk.

   -Lower-quality neighborhood resources and difficulty paying for basic needs

    were associated with lower scores on cognitive tests among Black and Latino

    individuals.

   -Compared with workers earning higher wages, sustained low-wage earners

    experienced significantly faster memory decline in older age.

   -Higher parental SES was associated with increased resilience to the

negative

    effects of Alzheimer's marker ptau-181, better baseline executive function

    and slower cognitive decline in older age.

About the Alzheimer's Association International Conference(R) (AAIC(R))

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 Association's research program, AAIC

serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering

a vital, collegial research community.

AAIC 2022 home page: www.alz.org/aaic/

AAIC 2022 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/pressroom.asp

AAIC 2022 hashtag: #AAIC22

About the Alzheimer's Association(R)

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 ( https://www.alz.org/ ) or call 800.272.3900.

CONTACT: Alzheimer's Association Media Line, 312.335.4078, media@alz.org; AAIC

2022 Press Office, aaicmedia@alz.org

SOURCE  Alzheimer’s Association