VJDementia Podcast: Recent Episodes
VJDementia
The Video Journal of Dementia (VJDementia) podcast covers the latest dementia news from international experts, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia & more. Made for healthcare professionals and researchers, we are a global, independent, open-access platform. Listen to the latest news, including cutting-edge trial updates, controversies and opinion. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a rating and review! For more news visit www.vjdementia.com
In this episode, we dive into the latest advancements in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers, focusing on the diagnostic and predictive potential of plasma p-tau217.
As an alternative to traditional PET assessment, blood-based biomarker detection has the potential to provide a time-efficient, cost-effective strategy for pre-screening and treatment monitoring in AD clinical trials. Although the widespread use of blood-based biomarkers in clinical practice remains to be seen, they also hold promise in expediting diagnostic/prognostic procedures for AD.
We are joined by renowned researchers who discuss their work to test and validate p-tau217, both as a tool for clinical trials and for use in daily practice.
With Marco Bucci, PhD, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Suzanne Schindler, MD, PhD, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Pamela Lukasewicz Ferreira, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; and Lyduine Collij, PhD, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
The post Exploring plasma p-tau217: a game-changer in Alzheimer’s trials appeared first on VJDementia.
The retina is often considered an extension of the brain, as they share many functional and structural similarities. Retinal changes have been reported to correspond to brain and cognitive changes seen in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). These changes include pathologies associated with AD such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and neurofibrillary tangle build up. The retina has been cited as a way to assess AD, particularly in patients with early AD, in a simple and non-invasive manner. Work is currently being undertaken to detect retinal biomarkers of AD, to allow for earlier diagnosis and the introduction of interventions which are needed to manage the disease effectively.
There are several areas currently being investigated to assess how the retina can provide insights into AD. In today’s episode, we hear from top researchers studying the retina as a window to the Alzheimer’s brain. Hear the latest on retinal biomarkers, the development of a diagnostic ‘eye test’ for Alzheimer’s disease, and the promise of retina organoids for novel drug development.
With Frederique Hart de Ruyter, MD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Mourad Tayebi, PhD, Western Sydney University; & Natalia Vergara, PhD, University of Colorado.
The post Eyes on Alzheimer’s: the promise of the retina in research and healthcare appeared first on VJDementia.
Genetic studies have shown that the vast majority of risk genes for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are highly, or even preferentially, expressed in microglia. Accumulating evidence is demonstrating the importance of microglia in AD development and progression, with experimental models demonstrating both protective and destructive capabilities. It has been suggested that the role of microglia in AD changes depending on the stage of the disease, with protective functions predominating in early-stage AD but more detrimental functions taking over in the later stages.
Intensive research is being conducted to understand more about microglia and their phenotypic transitions over time and in response to their environment. This not only has implications for therapeutic targeting of microglia subsets in disease, but also for conducting research and the need to closely consider the environment when interpreting data from microglia models.
In this episode, VJDementia are joined by Amy Lloyd, PhD, University of Dundee, Dundee; Soyon Hong, PhD, University College London, London, UK; João Pedro Ferrari-Souza, MD-PhD candidate, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; and Elina Svensson, PhD candidate, University College London, London, UK, who are sharing their work looking at the complex and disparate roles of microglia in health and disease, and the implications of this for understanding how to treat AD.
The post Exciting developments in microglia research in Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on VJDementia.
On January 6, 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lecanemab for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), making history as the first ever treatment to significantly slow cognitive decline. The approval follows that of aducanumab last year, and together these drugs represent a new category of medications targeting the Aβ pathology associated with AD.
Lecanemab is unique for its preferential binding of soluble amyloid-β protofibrils compared to aggregated amyloid plaques. In the recently completed Phase III trial, Clarity AD (NCT03887455), lecanemab slowed cognitive decline by 27% compared to placebo, as measured by CDR-SB. Similar slowing of decline was reported in other measures of cognitive function such as ADCOMS, ADAS-Cog14 and ADCS MCI-ADL.
Despite the excitement in the field surrounding this breakthrough approval, concerns remain regarding the extent of lecanemab’s clinical benefit and the risks involved with its use. In this episode, experts delve into the evidence we have to date, reflecting on the performance of lecanemab in clinical trials, how it compares to aducanumab, the risk of hemorrhage, its efficacy in women, and future directions for investigating anti-amyloid immunotherapies.
With Lars Lannfelt, MD, PhD, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, PhD, Hebrew SeniorLife & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and Nicolas Villain, MD, PhD, AP-HP Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
The post Expert perspectives on lecanemab appeared first on VJDementia.
Cognitive decline caused by dementia is one of the leading causes of disability and dependency for older adults globally, and due to ageing populations around the world, the estimated 50 million people who currently suffer from dementia is projected to reach 100 million by 2050. Thus, dementia is considered a major public health issue. Considering this, healthcare professionals and researchers are beginning to focus on behaviors which could delay or even prevent the onset of cognitive decline. Research suggests that diet is an important lifestyle factor which could be an integral component in preventing cognitive decline and dementia in older age. Observational studies consistently demonstrate correlations between certain dietary habits and cognitive performance, however randomized clinical trials have struggled to confirm such findings.
In this week’s episode, specialists discuss the results of their recent studies and give insights on the implications that their research could have for dementia prevention. The topics up for discussion this week include: high intake of ultra-processed food associated with cognitive decline, intermittent fasting in Alzheimer’s disease, omega-3 consumption in the prevention of dementia in APOE4 carriers, and the REACTION trial assessing a multi-nutrient drink for age-related cognitive decline.
The post Nutrition and cognitive decline appeared first on VJDementia.
Our current podcast series is focused on Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers. Hundreds of studies have emerged in recent years that have...
The post Novel markers for Alzheimer’s disease monitoring and prognostication appeared first on VJDementia.
Blood biomarkers are taking off in the Alzheimer’s disease field, showing promise for diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment monitoring. As more...
The post Early biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on VJDementia.
Blood biomarkers are taking off in the Alzheimer’s disease field, showing promise for diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment monitoring. Current diagnostic...
The post Alzheimer’s disease blood tests? Bringing plasma biomarkers into clinical practice appeared first on VJDementia.
The complexity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis has led to difficulties understanding the disease and, therefore, impacted the development of...
The post Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s disease: targeting β-amyloid and tau appeared first on VJDementia.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder predominately afflicting the older population – and with recent exponential developments in medicine...
The post Synaptic function in Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on VJDementia.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) occurs when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost, causing the...
The post Novel developments in biomarkers for FTD appeared first on VJDementia.
Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is used to treat a variety of neurological, immunological, and metabolic disorders. The procedure removes patient...
The post Therapeutic plasma exchange to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on VJDementia.
In recent years, blood-based biomarkers have taken off in the dementia space, representing a less invasive, more cost-effective, and accessible...
The post Recent advances in plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease appeared first on VJDementia.