Researchers at Columbia University are seeking volunteers to participate in a study on Alzheimer’s disease. They said millions of people in America aged 65 and older live with the disease, and the number is rising quickly. They said that according to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 410,000 people in New York live with the disease. For people of color, they said the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is even higher. They said Hispanic Americans and Black or African Americans are especially at risk, with incidence rates 1.5 to two times higher than White Americans, respectively.

 

To help find answers, researchers at Columbia University are conducting an Alzheimer’s research study funded by the National Institutes of Health and Eisai. They said the AHEAD Study is the first research study that aims to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by enrolling participants as young as 55 who have no memory problems, using a tailored approach to treatment.

 

“Diverse participation in research is critical to our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and, most importantly, how potential treatments may work in certain populations,” said Karen Bell, MD, professor of neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “We know that African Americans face a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease yet are underrepresented in clinical trials. This is why it is so important that the AHEAD Study continues to reach out to diverse communities and encourage participation.”

 

Researchers said the  study will look at an investigational treatment aimed at delaying memory decline in people up to 20 years before the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear, with the treatment dose based on participants’ brain scan results. They said that discovering a treatment that targets brain changes early means that one day, doctors may be able to prevent memory loss.

 

Researchers said the study, described as “groundbreaking,” needs volunteers aged 55 to 80 who may be at increased risk of memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Diverse participants are encouraged to join the study so that researchers can learn more about why people of color are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Columbia University researchers added that emphasis is being placed on enrolling participants who have traditionally been underrepresented in research studies.

 

Those interested in learning more about the AHEAD Study are invited to visit AHEADStudy.org.