Four Encouraging Developments for Alzheimer's Disease

1. A Blood Test to Determine if There Is an AD Alzheimer's disease is associated with the accumulation in the brain of two harmful proteins, tau and beta-amyloid, which can build up to 20 years before symptoms appear. Until now, the only way to check for AD was through lumbar punctures to obtain cerebrospinal fluid and positron emission tomography (PET) scans of the brain. 2. A Vaccine for the Prevention of AD This year, encouraging studies were conducted on the potential protective effect of vaccines against AD. 3. Artificial Intelligence for the Detection of AD Numerous groups of scientists around the world are studying how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to identify AD more quickly and accurately. Early detection of the disease is crucial because it allows for early intervention, which can radically change the course of the disease or lessen its effects. 4. More Effective Diagnostics and Treatments in the Developing World According to Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), 60% of the 55 million people living with dementia worldwide reside in low- and middle-income countries. However, access to treatments and diagnostic tools is very limited and expensive in these countries.