Recent research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease shows following a pilot study for the treatment of pre-dementia and early Alzheimer’s using a precision medicine protocol, ReCode.
ReCode uses precision medicine to personalize treatment for every patient based on test results and includes the BrainHQ training app, which is continually personalized for each user.
Results published on November 7, 2023, showed widespread improvement in cognitive performance under the globally recognized Montreal Cognitive Assessment measures.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) study participants also saw physical brain improvements in the brain imaging results that showed a trend toward renormalization to results typically seen in healthy older adults.
However, incorporating precision medicine approaches into everyday evaluation and care and future clinical trials would require fundamental changes in AD trial design, IRB considerations, funding considerations, laboratory evaluation, personalized treatment plans, treatment teams, and, ultimately, reimbursement guidelines.
Nonetheless, these researchers wrote that precision medicine approaches to AD, based on a novel model of AD pathophysiology, offer promise that has not been realized to date with traditional approaches.
In summary, the rationale for utilizing precision medicine protocols for treating patients with cognitive decline, or risk for decline, is based on the underlying mechanisms driving AD-related signaling and on promising initial results, supporting more extensive studies.
The implications for clinical practice, pharmaceutical candidate evaluation, and the societal burden of dementia are profound.
As of November 27, 2023, various AD vaccine candidates are conducting clinical studies.