Latest Dementia Research: New Hope for Prevention
- Christopher Zambakari
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
Dr. Christopher Zambakari, B.S., MBA, M.I.S., LP.D.
Owner/Operator; Desert Haven Home Care, Apollo Residential Assisted Living, Villa Fiore Assisted Living-Prescott Valley
Under a single home care umbrella, Desert Haven Home Care, Apollo Residential Assisted Living, and Villa Fiore Assisted Living-Prescott feature unparalleled care, feature unparalleled care, service and advocacy in the compassionate treatment of senior citizens in need of medical attention. Offered in a familial setting, the facilities are teamed by professionals passionate about their work and fully engaged in the welfare of residents. Each facility proudly provides patient-centric supervisory, assisted and directed care, short-term respite stays and memory care support for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
Dementia impacts millions of Americans. The disease takes a heavy toll on families and communities—emotionally, physically, and financially. The National Institutes of Health has invested billions to research dementia treatments, but dealing effectively with growing patient needs continues to lag behind.
Recent developments—in the past year alone—hold promise for improved prevention and treatment. Research shows it may be possible to prevent approximately 45% of dementia cases by tackling a number of risk factors throughout life. On top of that, we’ve made remarkable progress with Alzheimer’s fluid biomarkers detection and new treatments that bring hope.
Recent breakthrough discoveries in dementia research
Just last year, the Voise Foundation, a nonprofit focused on dementia research and care, reported, “Our hopes are high and expectations are reasonable that scientists may come up with some groundbreaking discovery for dementia patients.”
The year 2024 did, in fact, witness breakthroughs. As an example, results from clinical trials have shown exceptional promise. Donanemab (Kisunla™), a monthly infusion, has been shown to slow cognitive and functional decline as a result of dementia by as much as 60% when taken during the early stages of the disease. The drug Lecanemab (Leqembi®) shows similar promise, effecting a 27% slowdown in dementia progression when compared to a placebo. Both drugs are designed to gradually clear amyloid-beta, a protein that leads to degeneration of the brain’s neurons.
Blood-based biomarkers hold promise as well. Studies reveal that one such protein, known as p-tau217, are a real breakthrough in research, able to predict the likelihood of disruptive amyloid plaques in the brain, which are another biomarker for Alzheimer’s and the target for recently approved treatments. These blood tests could reduce the need for invasive procedures, and could reduce average diagnostic wait times from 70 months to just 13 months.
Research continues to expand rapidly. Scientists are now conducting more than 170 studies to test more than 130 different drugs. About 77% of these new treatments target why the disease progresses rather than symptoms alone.
Current dementia research is changing treatment approaches
Scientists now see that dementia treatment needs a complete transformation; implementation of effective treatment approaches for the disease is vital to meet clinical/practice needs.
Single-target therapies aren’t as effective as combination therapy, or CT. Research shows that CT works better than individual treatments. This integrated strategy targets everything from protein buildup to inflammation in dementia’s progression, and is shown to slow the rate of cognitive impairment when started early.
Clinical trials reveal that patients who take both memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) experience slower functional and cognitive decline when compared to those on single treatments. Starting these combination therapies early helps delay the disease progression by about two years.
Technology has altered the map of pharmaceutical interventions substantially. A study of 12 trials shows that technology-assisted treatments improve cognitive function and reduce depression better than standard care. Remote monitoring systems, smart devices, and virtual reality applications help with cognitive rehabilitation.
Challenges exist, and the warning label reads something like this: The newly approved monoclonal antibodies could cause brain swelling and bleeding. In addition, the costs of treatments and implementation remain high.
Scientists now see that dementia treatment needs a complete transformation; implementation of effective treatment approaches for the disease is vital to meet clinical/practice needs.
Dementia risk factors
A 2024 Lancet standing commission report suggests nearly half of all dementia cases can be prevented or treated. By addressing more than a dozen changeable risk factors, cases can be reduced by as much as 45%, a noteworthy 5% improvement from the commission’s 2020 findings.
Scientists discovered two new major dementia risk factors in 2024: untreated vision problems and high LDL cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol during middle age accounts for about 7% of dementia cases. Untreated vision problems contribute to roughly 2%.
Hearing problems are another risk factor, contributing to 7 % of dementia cases worldwide. People who used hearing aids realized a reduction in cognitive decline by almost 50% over three years. This was especially true for groups with high-risk factors, such as age, family history of dementia, chronic health conditions, lifestyle, sex and gender.
Being socially isolated causes 5% of dementia cases. Older adults who live in isolation face a 27% higher chance of developing dementia over nine years compared to those who stay connected. A phone call, a visit, and other simple solutions like providing access to communication technology lowered the risk of social isolation by 31%. Social connections matter.
Eye health impacts risk for dementia. Adults with moderate or severe distance vision problems were 72% more likely to develop dementia than those with good vision. Treatment for conditions like cataracts can lower the risk of dementia.
It is said that timing is everything. On a dementia timeline, most exposure to risk factors occurs in midlife.
It is said that timing is everything. On a dementia timeline, most exposure to risk factors occurs in midlife. Early in life, lack of quality education can play into one’s risk for later-life dementia. But, come the 40-65 years, the factors noted above and others like depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, and hypertension can all impact your risk for dementia. A common thread in much of these is lifestyle choices, choices you can make.
Conclusion
A single year of research and study has brought new hope for people affected by dementia. Scientists have discovered controllable risk factors, which could prevent almost half of all dementia cases. These breakthroughs, along with new combination treatments, point to a radical alteration in how we treat each patient individually.
The bottom line is this: Through recent research and new findings, there are steps you can take to reduce risk. Smart choices can lead to a better quality of life. Take action against risk factors at any age. Simple changes like treating hearing problems, staying social, and fixing vision issues can lower dementia risk. Do your own research and stay on top of Alzheimer’s and dementia research. The clues to a better life are all around us, if we know what to do and where to look.
About the Author
Dr. Christopher Zambakari is the owner and operator of three Arizona-based assisted living care homes – Desert Haven Home Care in Phoenix, Apollo Residential Assisted Living in Glendale, and Villa Fiore Assisted Living in Prescott Valley, Arizona. He provides direction and oversight to a team of licensed medical and caregiving professionals to ensure the highest levels of customized care, service and advocacy at each of his facilities. Zambakari is founder and CEO of The Zambakari Advisory, an international consultancy in the areas of strategic intelligence, program design and transitional processes. He is a Hartley B. and Ruth B. Barker Endowed Rotary Peace Fellow, and the assistant editor of the Bulletin of The Sudans Studies Association.
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