- Over the past few years, scientists have been looking for new ways of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease as early as possible.
- Past studies have unveiled new ways of diagnosing early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, as well as healthy lifestyle interventions that might help protect brain health.
- With these new options for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, the Spring 2025 Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable has issued a meeting report outlining a shift in the early detection and treatment of the condition.
Over the past few years, scientists have been looking for new ways of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease as early as possible.
Additionally, more research, such as the U.S. POINTER trial, have shown how certain healthy lifestyle interventions might be able to help improve cognition and protect brain health in older adults at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
The Spring 2025 Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable brought together leaders from academia, medical practice, industry, and government to look at the latest innovations in Alzheimer’s disease early detection and treatment.
During the meeting, participants examined:
- The latest in early detection and diagnosis biomarkers, and the ethical considerations around disclosure of these early biomarkers.
- The effectiveness of early-stage treatment interventions.
- The clinical importance of scaling up early intervention strategies.
- Ways for health systems to get ready to diagnose and treat very early‑stage Alzheimer’s safely, effectively, and equitably.
“The Alzheimer’s Association, members of their Research Roundtable, and other leaders in the field recognize that there are new blood tests and sensitive computerized cognitive assessments that can detect Alzheimer’s-related brain changes many years before major cognitive impairment becomes apparent,” Suzanne E. Schindler, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, co-chair of the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable session, and first author of the published meeting report, told Medical News Today.
“Through efforts like the U.S. POINTER trial, we are learning more about lifestyle interventions that can reduce the likelihood of developing cognitive impairment. And multiple clinical trials are underway to see if treatments can slow or prevent cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s. It is a transformational time — we are shifting towards detecting and treating Alzheimer’s before major cognitive impairment has occurred.”
– Suzanne E. Schindler, MD, PhD
“Many patients with Alzheimer’s disease are unfortunately only diagnosed after they have developed major cognitive impairment with loss of function,” Schindler continued.
“This means that patients and care partners don’t get a diagnosis until later in the disease, after the window when interventions are most helpful and patients can make truly independent decisions,” she explained.
“This is the core problem we need to overcome, and this meeting and this journal paper are extremely valuable steps toward a roadmap for multiple stakeholders for early detection — even before memory and thinking changes — and intervention that may delay or prevent dementia due to Alzheimer’s,” added the expert.
Detection and diagnosis in the earliest stages of the disease enables all proven interventions — lifestyle, pharmaceutical, both — to have their greatest benefit, said Christopher Weber, PhD, director of global science initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association, and an author on the published meeting minutes.
“Giving people more time without memory and thinking changes — that’s something everybody wants,” Weber explained to MNT.
“Medicines that slow the early stages of Alzheimer’s have already been approved in the United States and in other countries. At the same time, new drugs are being tested in people who show early signs of Alzheimer’s in their brain but don’t yet have memory issues,” he noted.
“Studies like TrailBlazer-Alz 3 and AHEAD 3‑45 could lead to earlier treatment options. If these studies are successful, it could change how doctors manage the disease and help people get treatment before memory and thinking problems begin. This approach is similar to how doctors treat other diseases, like heart disease and some cancers, where early detection and prevention are key parts of care.”
– Christopher Weber, PhD
The Roundtable report also looked at the importance of early lifestyle interventions, such as those in the U.S. POINTER study, which found that a combination of physical activity, nutrition, social and cognitive challenges, and health coaching provided the most benefit for those at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
“People can take steps today to protect their brain,” Weber said. “Research studies, including the U.S. POINTER trial, shows that healthy habits with structure and accountability can improve thinking and support brain health in older adults at risk for cognitive decline.”
Dung Trinh, MD, internist for MemorialCare Medical Group and chief medical officer of Healthy Brain Clinic in Irvine, CA — who was not part of the Roundtable — agreed.
“Lifestyle changes should be seen as foundational, not optional,” Trinh commented. “The Pointer Study reveals that behavior change matters, and structured interventions around physical activity, nutritious eating, social engagement, and management of cardiovascular risk can improve cognition and protect brain health in older adults at risk.“
“That means the ‘new era’ is not only about tests and drugs; it is also about giving people meaningful lifestyle actions they can take earlier,” he told us.
In practice, Trinh said, lifestyle measures are likely to play several roles:
“First, they are broadly applicable, including for people who may be at elevated risk but are not candidates for drug therapy. Second, they complement medical treatment rather than compete with it. Third, they help shift the conversation from fear to empowerment, because patients can begin working on brain health right away while additional evaluation is underway. The larger message is that early detection should lead to a prevention plan, and lifestyle change is a core part of that plan.”
Trinh said that after hearing about the Alzheimer’s Association’s “new era” of early detection and prevention, his first reactions were excitement and overdue.
“For too long, Alzheimer’s care has largely begun after memory and thinking problems are already affecting daily life,” he explained.
“What is changing now is that we can increasingly detect the biology of Alzheimer’s earlier, using blood-based biomarkers, digital cognitive tools, imaging, and other measures, sometimes years before symptoms become obvious. That opens the possibility of moving from a reactive model to a preventive one,” added Trinh.
“At the same time, I would say this is a moment for cautious optimism, not overstatement,” he continued. “The science is advancing quickly, but early detection also raises real questions about who should be tested, how results should be interpreted, how we counsel patients, and how we make sure access is equitable. The promise is real, but implementation has to be thoughtful.”
MNT also spoke with Peter Gliebus, MD, chief of neurology and director of cognitive and behavioral neurology at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, a part of Baptist Health South Florida, about this new directional change in Alzheimer’s early detection and prevention.
“I do agree that we need to start developing science-based guidelines and methods to identify Alzheimer’s disease in the earliest phases, as ongoing trials will offer interventions at those stages,” Gliebus, who was likewise not involved in the report, told us. “We also need to ensure that coverage for diagnostic methods is in place and that we have a cost-effective way to identify these patients.”
“When we have meaningful interventions for people who are cognitively unimpaired but show early biomarker signs of Alzheimer’s disease, we will need to develop screening guidelines, including who should be screened, when, and how,” he continued. “These policy and behavioral changes take time, and sound science and education will support that transition.“
“I would like to see scientifically sound guidelines developed for the time when treatments beyond lifestyle change recommendations become available for people at the earliest stages of the disease,” Gliebus added.
