World Alzheimer’s Day: accessible Alzheimer’s research
Currently, more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, a figure that is estimated to rise to over 150 million by 2050. September marks World Alzheimer’s Month and the 21 September World Alzheimer’s Day, a global opportunity to raise awareness around, educate, encourage support of and demystify dementia.
At Neuro Central, we have compiled a list of plain language summaries relating to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that have been published in our partner journal Neurodegenerative Disease Management. These articles present clinical research in a way that is accessible and understandable to non-specialist audiences, including those affected by dementia, their caregivers, healthcare professionals and decision makers.
A study of once-a-week donepezil transdermal system’s bioequivalence to oral donepezil in healthy volunteers: a plain language summary
This is a plain language summary of an article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. It describes an adhesive patch placed on the skin’s surface, also referred to as a transdermal delivery system (TDS), that delivers donepezil through the skin of patients with mild, moderate and severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Donepezil is usually taken in pill form by mouth; however, this can cause stomach or intestinal side effects like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, which may be bad enough that people stop taking their medication.
This summary focuses on how fast and how much donepezil enters the body through the skin, and how it compares with taking a pill form of donepezil by mouth. This summary also looks at how much donepezil is circulating through the body with the use of the once-a-week donepezil TDS versus the once-a-day donepezil pill. They show that the same amount of donepezil circulates through the body when donepezil TDS is used once a week as when a participant takes an oral donepezil pill once a day.
The amyloid-β pathway in Alzheimer’s disease: a plain language summary
This plain language summary of an article published in Molecular Psychiatry reviews the evidence supporting the role of the amyloid-β (Aβ) pathway and its dysregulation in AD and highlights the rationale for drugs targeting the Aβ pathway in the early stages of the disease. It also identifies knowledge gaps that remain with respect to the role of the Aβ pathway in AD.
This review aims to help physicians and practitioners understand the different forms of Aβ and other AD mechanisms (e.g., tau protein, APOE ε4) that contribute to AD symptoms and progression.
The AT(N) system for describing biological changes in Alzheimer’s disease: a plain language summary
This plain language summary of an article published in Nature Reviews Neurology looks at how AD is diagnosed. AD is usually diagnosed by looking at a person’s symptoms and ruling out other causes of dementia. However, research shows that people diagnosed in this way do not always have the biological changes in the brain that are related to AD, which means that some people may be misdiagnosed.
This summary focuses on a recently developed classification scheme known as the AT(N) system, which provides a way to assess and describe the biological changes in amyloid (A), tau (T) and neurodegeneration (N) that occur in people with AD and could help improve how the condition is diagnosed, monitored and treated.
The use of lumbar puncture and safety recommendations in Alzheimer’s disease: a plain language summary
This is a plain language summary of an article published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. It looks at a type of test called a lumbar puncture (also known as spinal tap) used in people suspected of having AD or some other form of dementia to examine cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers that can help diagnose disease. Lumbar puncture is traditionally considered a painful and invasive procedure with frequent side effects. However, multiple studies indicate that a lumbar puncture can be performed safely.
This summary focuses on the use of lumbar puncture in AD, including the benefits of using lumbar puncture compared with brain imaging techniques for diagnosing AD, adverse events and how to do a lumbar puncture safely. This summary may be suitable for physicians and practitioners who diagnose and treat AD, as well as people who experience memory and thinking difficulties associated with AD and their families or caregivers.
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