2021-2022 Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias Scientific Advances
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NIH Scientific Progress Report 2022
This online report features advances in Alzheimer’s and related dementias research — from molecules to populations, and from the laboratory bench to the clinic.
Key Findings in Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias Research
What’s Coming Next
Over the past year, NIH has conducted and funded remarkable research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias that is bringing us closer to effective prevention, diagnostics, treatments, and improved care for people living with these conditions, along with better support for care partners.
This momentum continues. Discoveries with real-world applications are on the horizon, and in the not-too-distant future, we expect to see:
- Improved, less invasive diagnostic tests — including blood tests for Alzheimer’s and related dementias — that will facilitate screening for Alzheimer’s and related dementias years before symptoms appear
- Advances in health equity that will enable us to better understand the unique causes, risk factors, and efficacy of interventions for Alzheimer’s and related dementias in different populations
- Further collaborations between NIH and the private sector to accelerate the development of new treatment options approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that, combined with early diagnosis, will prevent or slow the development of symptoms
- Advances in precision medicine — delivering the right medicine in the right place at the right time — which will play a major role in treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s and related dementias
- Discovery of more factors that contribute to dementia, such as inflammation or changes in our microbiome, the microbes that live in and on our bodies
- New research that further explores the impact of behavior and lifestyle changes, such as controlling high blood pressure and exercising regularly, to help lower the risk or delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s and related dementias
With continued federal support and collaboration among dementia researchers, clinicians, people living with dementia, and their care partners and families, the future holds hope and promise.