Researchers reframe approach on clinical trials to slow Alzheimer’s disease

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester is working to reframe what is clinically meaningful to slow Alzheimer’s disease progression.

Researchers are studying treatment impact over time and the need for combination therapies during clinical trials.

Their findings and recommendations were recently published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

This comes after the FDA recently approved two drugs to treat Alzheimer’s.

Medical experts say the while the drugs help treat the symptoms of the disease, the drugs may be more effective before symptoms are even present. Mayo researchers also found a combination of treatments is more effective than one treatment solely focused on treatment Alzheimer’s.

“The field may be anticipating that we’re going to make people better or we’re going to stop the disease process, but in fact these drugs are just meant to slow down the disease process, but that’s important, because if we can keep people functioning at a higher level for a longer period of time, that’s very meaningful for them,” Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of the article Dr. Ronald Petersen said.

The research team hopes their work will draw attention to the clinical impact Alzheimer’s drug trials may have on patients and families.

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