Speakers : Dr. Sophia Wang and Dr. Jeff Dage
Dr. Dage and Dr. Wang will talk about current research in using blood based and other biomarkers for early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Both researchers are from the IU School of Medicine and specialize in this area.
Program: Research in Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Speaker: Sophia Wang, MD, Assoc. Prof. of Clinical Psychiatry and more; Jeff Dage, PhD, Senior Research Prof. of Neurology and more, both at IU School of Medicine
Introduced By: Sophia Wang herself
Attendance: NESC: 106; Zoom: 36
Guest(s): Stephen Johentges, Cate and John Wojtowicz, and one unlogged guest
Scribe: Benny Ko
Editor: Carl Warner
Talk’s Zoom recording found at: https://www.scientechclubvideos.org/zoom/08182025.mp4
Speaker Jeff Dage, PhD, is a Senior Professor of Neurology at the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and former research scientist at Eli Lilly Co. Dr. Dage was introduced by his colleague and fellow researcher, Dr. Sophia Wang, who has previously presented to Scientech.
Dr. Dage discussed the significance of a newly FDA-approved blood test for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that measures the ratio between a serum phosphorylated tau and a beta-peptide level. The test offers a reliable diagnostic test for AD and allows the disease to be tracked for treatment effects. The foundational research began in 2018.
The two characteristic findings of AD are the presence of amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Up to recently, the most-used diagnostic tools were neuroimaging, in particular PET-CT scans, and the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. An AD patient can present in an asymptomatic phase, with mild cognitive impairment, or dementia. But with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease accounts for only half of the eventual diagnosis. This new blood test is superior to PET imaging in terms of significantly lower cost and without the radiation. It is also preferred to cerebrospinal fluid analysis as no spinal tap is required, which many patients dread. The result of this new test is also available much faster than the other two approaches.
Clinical staging of AD, as based on the levels of amyloid and tau pathology, can be separated into six stages. However, some individuals might have discordant clinical symptoms with their amyloid and tau pathology findings. Other patients, at times, could also have multiple co-existing diseases that cause their clinical findings.
With this tau and amyloid-based blood test, a positive result in an individual over 50 with cognitive impairment has a 90+% probability of having AD, while a negative test lowers it to 5-10%. Currently, the test is approved only for patients over 50 with cognitive impairment. However, as used in research studies, this test can assess the effect of earlier intervention on at-risk (i.e., positive test) but asymptomatic individuals.
In conclusion, there is a need for more tools, tests, and biomarkers to enhance early diagnosis and treatment of AD and other related dementias. Therefore, patients at risk of developing this disease and other neurodegenerative diseases should be encouraged to participate in research studies. Their participation would lead to the development of new treatments and the refined timing of intervention. Adequate funding for research is also crucial.
Q & A:
Amyloid plaques and tau tangles might have a causal relationship. The level of certain forms of phosphorylated tau drops when amyloid plaques respond to amyloid-targeted therapy.
The relationship between brain concussion and dementia is being investigated in many research studies.
Lithium is being investigated for its neuroprotective properties.
Sophia Wang Jeff Dage
