Lecture Series Begins with Look at Breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s Research
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently welcomed David Cook, director of public policy and governmental affairs for the Arkansas chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, for a virtual lecture about the latest frontiers in Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment.
The Sept. 17 lecture was the first in a four-part series titled “The Dementia Care Connection: Insights for Families and Frontlines,” which provides health care professionals, caregivers and community members with real-world strategies for supporting people who are living with memory loss. The series is organized by the UAMS Center on Aging-Northeast in Jonesboro, a program that’s part of the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging.
Cook noted that dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of cognitive conditions that interfere with a person’s quality of life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting about 7 million Americans. However, some experts project that cases could approach 13 million in the coming decades as the United States’ older population continues to grow, he said.
“I can tell you that if we don’t get ahead of the curve by 2050, then the number of people living with Alzheimer’s will rise significantly,” he said.
There were no medications to address the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease until 1996, but the ensuing three decades have yielded important breakthroughs, Cook said. Among them were the recent federal approvals of the monoclonal antibody medications lecanemab and donanemab. The new drugs target the accumulations of amyloid protein that develop in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s.
“These medications usually slow the progression of the disease and give patients more time to participate fully in life,” he said.
The current treatments are only effective in the first stages of the disease, which means an early diagnosis is essential, Cook said. There’s no single test that can determine whether a person is living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, so clinicians often reach a diagnosis using a combination of neurological, physical and cognitive examinations as well as the patient’s family history, he said.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first blood test that may help to detect the presence of amyloid aggregations long before the onset of cognitive symptoms. Although the test alone can’t determine whether a patient has Alzheimer’s disease, it represents a significant development in the effort to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis, Cook said.
“Three years ago, we thought we were 10 years away from a blood test,” he said. “The science in this space has been accelerating quickly.”
Cook said federal lawmakers have recognized the need for further breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment to improve the lives of their constituents. In the 2025 fiscal year, Congress appropriated a record $3.8 billion for Alzheimer’s research.
“We have consistently seen increases in funding since 2014,” he said.
Researchers have used these funds to develop dozens of potential therapies, but they have struggled to find enough participants to populate the growing number of clinical trials, Cook said. He encouraged the lecture attendees to visit the Alzheimer’s Association’s trial-matching platform to learn about research studies that might be a fit for them or for their loved ones.
“The Dementia Care Connection” series will also cover topics such as:
- Nov. 12, “Recognize, Respond, Refer: The Early Signs of Dementia”
- Feb. 11, “More Than Words: Person-Centered Strategies for Dementia Communication and Behavior”
- June 10, “The Dementia Journey: Where to Turn for Help and Support”
Those who are interested in attending any of the virtual lectures can register here.