Five Things You May Have Missed About Alzheimer's Research in 2020

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports five new discoveries in the field of Alzheimer's disease research this year. Although Biogen's Alzheimer's drug aducanumab grabbed a lot of attention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved or is considering/evaluating other drugs for treatment of the disorder, including insomnia medication Suvorexant, Pimavanzserin, and anti-amyloid compound BAN2401. Also promising is a blood test, with research presented at the virtual Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2020 noting that specific markers in the blood may be able to identify changes in the brain 20 years ahead of Alzheimer's symptoms. Also detailed at AAIC 2020 was the finding that flu and pneumonia vaccines appear to reduce the incidence and risk of Alzheimer's. Meanwhile, a global study on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the brain is focusing on underlying biology that may play a role in Alzheimer's and other dementia. Finally, a study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association suggests that the effect of the APOE-e4 gene variant — the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's — may differ across different races and ethnicities.