Latest research findings continue to offer hope in the understanding, risk, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
New research results reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2025 (AAIC®) in Toronto last week advanced scientific understanding of risk, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. North Carolina was well represented at the conference with dozens of researchers presenting at the conference, as well as Alzheimer’s Association staff from the state who were integral in study results presented.
AAIC is the premier annual conference for presentation and discussion of the latest Alzheimer’s and dementia research. This year’s conference in Toronto attracted nearly 19,000 registered attendees and included more than 6,400 scientific submissions. Of the thousands of scientific presentations from around the world at the conference, nearly 100 presentations and posters were from North Carolina-based researchers and investigators from institutions including: Duke University, East Carolina University, several campuses of the University of North Carolina System, North Carolina Central University, High Point University, Wake Forest University and other research centers.
Here are eight major highlights from this year’s conference:
- Two lifestyle interventions in the U.S. POINTER clinical trial improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. Two lifestyle interventions in the U.S. POINTER clinical trial improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. A structured intervention with more support and accountability showed greater improvement compared to a self-guided intervention, helping to protect against normal age-related decline for up to two years. North Carolina was one of the five clinical trial locations.
The Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter played an important role with this study, as North Carolina was the first trial site nationally. Chapter staff supported the study in recruitment guidance and study navigation for participants.
“We were honored to work alongside Wake Forest University School of Medicine for this Alzheimer’s Association funded study which is a turning point on how we will approach brain health,” said Katherine Lambert, CEO, Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter and US POINTER chapter lead. “The cognitive improvement found through lifestyle interventions is promising and we’re committing more research dollars to bring this clinical trial opportunity into more communities.”
- The Alzheimer’s Association released its first clinical practice guidelines on use of blood biomarker tests by specialists to assist in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The guidelines – aimed at a variety of specialists in settings like neurology, psychiatry, geriatrics and more who diagnose and evaluate cognitive impairment – provide rigorous, evidence-based recommendations for using these blood tests more confidently and consistently. This clinical practice guideline is part of ALZPro™ from the Alzheimer’s Association, the comprehensive hub of resources and tools for health care professionals and researchers from across disciplines to reduce risk, advance early detection, improve care and expand equitable access for all communities.
- Taking a combination of common drugs to treat blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes may slow cognitive decline, according to data from five studies. A study of more than 4,500 older adults showed cognitive test scores similar to people three years younger for participants who took a combination of drugs targeting vascular or metabolic conditions like high cholesterol or blood pressure, all of which are known risk factors for dementia. Participants who were on all three of the vascular drugs had the greatest cognitive benefits, and their brains showed fewer signs of Alzheimer’s-related changes at autopsy. For those who took only two of the drugs, the most effective pairing for cognitive protection was blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.
- Lead in the atmosphere and environment may be linked to memory problems 50 years later, based on a study of more than 600,000 people. Researchers tracked how exposure to airborne lead from 1960-1974 — when leaded gasoline use was at its highest — impacted brain health later in life. The report estimated that half the U.S. population at that time, more than 170 million people, were exposed to high lead levels in early childhood. While leaded gas has long been phased out, other sources of exposure remain, such as old lead paint, pipes and industrial pollution. Experts say people who had past lead exposure should focus on reducing other risk factors for dementia, including managing high blood pressure, quitting smoking and avoiding social isolation.
- People with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease may benefit the most from healthy lifestyle interventions like walking, according to a decade of data from three large international studies. Older adults who carry the Alzheimer’s risk gene known as APOE4 had higher cognitive benefits from non-drug interventions like exercise, diet and cognitive training than non-carriers. In this study, walking was found to be the most effective healthy habit for slowing down cognitive damage. Like many healthy lifestyle changes, the key was making it a habit, as the study showed that sticking with it for at least two years produced cognitive benefits up to seven years later.
- While newly available anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s disease drugs have shown effectiveness in tightly controlled clinical trials, they have not been tested in real-world settings until now. Dozens of abstracts reported at AAIC 2025 showed that real world experience with the drugs lecanemab and donanemab produced comparable or better safety to large clinical trials, and patients were satisfied with the results.
- People who participated in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had slower cognitive decline over 10 years than non-participants, according to new research reported at AAIC 2025. Scientists compared participants in SNAP, which helps low-income individuals and families buy food, to those who were eligible for the program but didn’t participate. They found that SNAP participants had a 0.10% slower decline in overall cognitive function, adding up to an estimated two to three additional years of cognitive health over the study’s 10-year period.
- New research announced at AAIC 2025 shed light on crucial differences between men and women in risk for Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia. One study found that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs, a well-known risk factor for dementia) were more likely to shrink dementia-related areas of the brain in women than men. Another looked closer at “chemobrain” — declines in thinking and memory reported by about one-third of women receiving breast cancer chemotherapy. Women make up nearly two-thirds of the more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. The chemobrain study is the first to show that brain changes, inflammation and shrinkage related to the cancer treatment are connected to symptoms like memory lapses and trouble focusing or finding words. The study adds to growing evidence that chemotherapy impacts brain health.
“AAIC stands as a pivotal gathering for Alzheimer’s researchers and all those dedicated to ending Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Christine John-Fuller, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter. “As the world’s leading nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research, the Alzheimer’s Association understands the critical importance of the discoveries shared at this conference—advancing our knowledge of the disease, driving risk reduction, and strengthening support for caregivers. The research presented further shows the progress being made in this new era of hope, and we are proud of the role the N.C. research community plays in this.”
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 