Brain Plaque Buildup Signals Alzheimer's Before Other Symptoms

A study's initial findings in JAMA Neurology found the brains of people with early Alzheimer's disease have high concentrations of amyloid protein plaques even before other symptoms appear, reports United Press International . These high levels correlate with a family history of disease, lower scores on thinking and memory tests, and reductions in daily mental function. The Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease (A4) study, which runs through late 2022, is looking into whether the drug solanezumab can slow mental decline associated with elevated amyloids if people start taking it before Alzheimer's symptoms manifest themselves. "A major issue for amyloid-targeting Alzheimer's disease clinical trials . . . being addressed with the A4 study, is that previous trials may have been intervening too late in the disease process to be effective," noted U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) Director Richard Hodes. The researchers used amyloid positron emission tomography imaging to screen nearly 4,500 older adults, and identified and enrolled more than 1,300 with high amyloid levels in the brain, but no Alzheimer's symptoms. "A4 demonstrates that prevention trials can enroll high-risk individuals — people with biomarkers for Alzheimer's who are cognitively normal," said NIA's Laurie Ryan. "Ultimately, precision medicine approaches will be essential."