Toward the right treatment at the right time: Modeling the trajectory of cognitive decline to identify the earliest age of change in people with Alzheimer's disease

Asaad Baksh, Andre Strydom, Isabelle Carrière, Ben Carter, Karen Ritchie

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Introduction: Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). A limitation of randomized control trials in AD is a lack of specificity in the age ranges of participants who are enrolled in studies of disease-modifying therapies. We aimed to apply Emax (i.e., maximum effect) modeling as a novel approach to identity ideal treatment windows. Methods: Emax curves were fitted to longitudinal cognitive data of 101 participants with AD and 1392 healthy controls. We included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and tests of verbal fluency and executive functioning. Results: In people with AD, the earliest decline in the MMSE could be detected in the 67–71 age band while verbal fluency declined from the 41–45 age band. In healthy controls, changes in cognition showed a later trajectory of decline. Discussion: Emax modeling could be used to design more efficient trials which has implications for randomized control trials targeting the earlier stages of AD.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere12563
JournalAlzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring
Volume16
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Mar 2024

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