Alzheimer’s disease prevention: from risk factors to early intervention

By M. Crous-Bou, C. Minguillón, N. Gramunt, José Luis Molinuevo. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, 2017

598 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Due to the progressive aging of the population, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming a healthcare burden of epidemic proportions for which there is currently no cure. Disappointing results from clinical trials performed in mild–moderate AD dementia combined with clear epidemiological evidence on AD risk factors are contributing to the development of primary prevention initiatives. In addition, the characterization of the long asymptomatic stage of AD is allowing the development of intervention studies and secondary prevention programmes on asymptomatic at-risk individuals, before substantial irreversible neuronal dysfunction and loss have occurred, an approach that emerges as highly relevant. In this manuscript, we review current strategies for AD prevention, from primary prevention strategies based on identifying risk factors and risk reduction, to secondary prevention initiatives based on the early detection of the pathophysiological hallmarks and intervention at the preclinical stage of the disease. Firstly, we summarize the evidence on several AD risk factors, which are the rationale for the establishment of primary prevention programmes as well as revising current primary prevention strategies. Secondly, we review the development of public–private partnerships for disease prevention that aim to characterize the AD continuum as well as serving as platforms for secondary prevention trials. Finally, we summarize currently ongoing clinical trials recruiting participants with preclinical AD or a higher risk for the onset of AD-related cognitive impairment. The growing body of research on the risk factors for AD and its preclinical stage is favouring the development of AD prevention programmes that, by delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia for only a few years, would have a huge impact on public health.

Subfields: Physiology, Psychiatry and Mental health, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b569f9341d90f15c703842a513a25b7ebb76c516

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Citations in the corpus

Current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment (2018, unknown): “Memory declines slowly in normal aging (1).”
Recent advances in Alzheimer’s disease: mechanisms, clinical trials and new drug development strategies (2024, background): “507,512 Compound 38 , incorporating cap group of melatonin and ferulic acid, enhanced HDAC6 selectivity while providing signi ﬁ cant antioxidant capacity, alleviating spatial working and non-spatial long-term memory de ﬁ cits in A β 25-35 -injected mice at lower doses.”
Comprehensive Review on Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes and Treatment (2020, background): “Several studies revealed that multi-domain intervention which includes lifestyle (diet, exercise, and cognitive training), depression of AD symptoms, and controlling cardiovascular risk factors, can increase or maintain cognitive function and prevent new cases of AD in older people [101].”