S16: Public Lecture: A New Age in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 55 million people worldwide, with 300,000 sufferers residing in Argentina. Over the last 10 years with the emergence of monoclonal antibodies, we have witnessed a radical change in our approach to Alzheimer’s disease. Today, we can see the lesion of Alzheimer’s disease in the living brain up to 17 years before the onset of symptoms. Furthermore, we have developed blood tests that allow us to identify those at risk to have amyloid in the brain and, in the last two years, a new group of disease-modifying treatments has been approved for clinical use. What remains to be elucidated is how these revolutionary changes will impact patient care and perceptions of Alzheimer’s disease in society. Additionally, how these new, often expensive tools to fight Alzheimer’s disease will be accessible in developing countries is also unknown. These issues will be discussed during our presentation with a panel of experts in the field. Dr. Reich will present the latest advances on biomarkers and new treatments, Dr. Aguilar will discuss the implications of this new approach for the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease around the world, and Dr. Mintzer will discuss different options that will make these treatments available in developing countries with a focus on Latin America.