Modernizing diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: A review of global trends and Asia-specific perspectives.

The landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) diagnosis is evolving rapidly, driven by advances in disease understanding, biomarker tools, and disease-modifying therapies. Modern diagnostic approaches emphasize biological precision, early detection, and dynamic frameworks that adapt to treatment-induced changes in disease biology. These frameworks enable opportunities for personalized interventions-encompassing pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies-and for enhanced clinical trial design.

Nationwide Survey on the Awareness of Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background And Purpose: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), particularly due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), is an important stage for early intervention. We aim to assess awareness among the general population of MCI and AD, and evaluate their willingness to pay for treatment that delays the progression to dementia.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted from August 29 to 31, 2022, targeting adults aged ≥18 years in the Republic of Korea.

Standardized Procedures for Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Collection and Storage in Neurodegenerative Biomarker Research: A Comprehensive Review.

Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are essential tools for the rapid diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, even minor variations in sample collection and storage procedures can significantly impact biomarker measurements, emphasizing the importance of standardized operating procedures. This review discusses the main pre-analytical factors that influence biomarker stability, outlines the best practices for blood and CSF collection and storage, and extensively analyzes recent research findings to ensure optimal reproducibility in biomarker studies.

Plasma GFAP and Amyloid Pathology Predict Cognitive Response to Multidomain Interventions in MCI.

There is limited evidence on which biological markers can predict the effectiveness of interventions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, particularly in relation to amyloid pathology. This study aims to investigate whether plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels can serve as a predictive biomarker for short-term cognitive response to multidomain interventions in elderly individuals with MCI, stratified by probable amyloid-β plaque deposition. In this 24-week multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT; SUPERBRAIN-MEET), 300 elderly participants with MCI were enrolled.

The Care Pathway for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Korea: A Survey of Dementia Specialists.

Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a loss of memory or other cognitive function while maintaining the ability to independently perform most activities of daily living. This study assessed how Korean specialists in dementia care diagnosed and treated patients with MCI symptoms.

Methods: A questionnaire on the current management of MCI was developed by 6 experts in MCI care.

Use of Amyloid Positron-Emission Tomography to Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease in Clinical Practice in South Korea: Expert Recommendations.

Amyloid positron-emission tomography (PET) is the optimal method for detecting amyloid plaque deposition in patients experiencing cognitive decline, which is essential for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. However, its clinical application globally has been restricted by the high cost, short radiotracer half-life, and significant accessibility challenges. In particular, the lack of treatment options following diagnosis has been considered the largest obstacle to using amyloid PET as a diagnostic tool.

Transcriptional Landscape and Biomarker Discovery for Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Alzheimer's Disease: An Ex Vivo Study Using Patients-Derived Dermal Fibroblasts.

Objective: Numerous studies have identified various risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the experimental limitations of disease modeling make it challenging to directly interpret their effects. These limitations include constraints of postmortem samples, animal experiments, and challenges associated with brain tissue studies.

Machine learning-based prediction of amyloid positivity using early-phase F-18 flutemetamol PET.

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that early-phase imaging of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) may offer information for predicting amyloid positivity.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate whether early-phase fluorine-18 flutemetamol (eFMM) PET images provide valuable information for predicting amyloid positivity using machine learning (ML) models and whether incorporating clinical and neuropsychological features improves predictive performance.MethodsIn total, 454 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) were enrolled and randomly divided into training (n = 354) and test (n = 100) groups.

Effects of Oral Nutrition Supplementation with or Without Multi-Domain Intervention Program on Cognitive Function and Overall Health in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The global rise in dementia prevalence is escalating the socioeconomic burden, prompting efforts in prevention and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week oral nutrition supplement (ONS) program with or without a multi-domain intervention program (MIP) in patients with mild cognitive impairment. : Forty-nine patients with mild cognitive impairment were divided into three groups: (1) ONS (ONS), (2) ONS+MIP (ONS+MIP), and (3) control (CON).

The patient pathway for mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease in Asia: Current practices, barriers, and expert recommendations for optimization.

Background: The age-standardized prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in Asia has increased rapidly in recent years. Disease-modifying treatments that can slow disease progression are now becoming available for patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, including those with mild cognitive impairment. However, challenges in diagnosis and assessment for these patients remain.

Eligibility for Lecanemab Treatment in the Republic of Korea: Real-World Data From Memory Clinics.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to determine the proportion of Korean patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) who are eligible to receive lecanemab based on the United States Appropriate Use Recommendations (US AUR), and also identify the barriers to this treatment.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 6,132 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment or mild amnestic dementia at 13 hospitals from June 2023 to May 2024. Among them, 2,058 patients underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and 1,199 (58.

Comparison of plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 in predicting amyloid positivity and prognosis among Korean memory clinic patients.

We investigated plasma phosphorylated tau217 (p-tau217) and p-tau181 efficacy in predicting positive amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) results and cognitive stage transitions. Plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 were measured in participants who were cognitively unimpaired (CU, n = 121), had mild cognitive impairment (n = 102), or dementia (n = 75) from two independent cohorts (Cohort 1: KBASE-V and Cohort 2: Asan) who underwent amyloid PET. In Cohort 1, plasma p-tau217 (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.

Longitudinal Analysis of Objective and Self-Reported Cognitive Functions in Individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline.

Introduction: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered a preclinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent research suggests that subtle cognitive changes in SCD are linked to an increased risk of clinical decline. This study investigates the longitudinal trajectories of both objective and self-reported cognitive functions in individuals with SCD, with a focus on the impact of subtle cognitive impairment (SCI).

Cross-cultural validation of plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 as precision biomarkers for amyloid PET positivity: An East Asian study in Taiwan and Korea.

Introduction: Plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau) biomarkers have improved Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, but data from diverse Asian populations are limited. This study evaluated plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 levels in Korean and Taiwanese populations.

Methods: All participants (n = 270) underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and blood tests.

South Korean study to prevent cognitive impairment and protect brain health through multidomain interventions via face-to-face and video communication platforms in mild cognitive impairment (SUPERBRAIN-MEET): A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: We investigated the efficacy of a multidomain intervention (MI) via face-to-face and video communication platforms using a tablet personal computer application in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Three hundred participants with MCI and ≥ 1 modifiable dementia risk factor, aged 60-85 years, were randomly assigned to either the MI group, who underwent a 24-week intervention, or the control group, who received usual care.

Results: The overall adherence rate to MI was 84.

Cognitive and neurodegenerative trajectories of subjective cognitive decline according to baseline biomarkers: Results of the CoSCo study.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now diagnosed biologically. Since subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may indicate preclinical AD, assessing AD-biomarkers is crucial. We investigated cognitive and neurodegenerative trajectories in SCD over 24 months based on biomarker positivity, and evaluated the predictive value of plasma biomarkers.

Lecanemab: Appropriate Use Recommendations by Korean Dementia Association.

Lecanemab (product name Leqembi®) is an anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody treatment approved for use in Korea for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The Korean Dementia Association has created recommendations for the appropriate use of lecanemab to assist clinicians. These recommendations include selecting patients for administration, necessary pre-administration tests and preparations, administration methods, monitoring for amyloid related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), and communication with patients and caregivers.

Association between osteoporosis and the rate of telomere shortening.

A shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is reported to be associated with age-related diseases, including osteoporosis. Many studies have tried identifying the association between LTL and osteoporosis, although it remains controversial. This study aimed to determine whether osteoporosis is independently associated with LTL shortening in a prospective longitudinal cohort.

Effect of Dietary Habits on Alzheimer's Disease Progression.

Purpose: Research on the relationship between diet and dementia among Koreans are lacking. This study investigated the association between dietary habits and dementia progression over 3 years in patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD).

Materials And Methods: This study included 705 patients with mild-to-moderate ADD.

Relationship Between Amyloid Positivity and Sleep Characteristics in the Elderly With Subjective Cognitive Decline.

Background And Purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive decline in cognition and performance of daily activities. Recent studies have attempted to establish the relationship between AD and sleep. It is believed that patients with AD pathology show altered sleep characteristics years before clinical symptoms appear.

SoUth Korean study to PrEvent cognitive impaiRment and protect BRAIN health through Multidomain interventions via facE-to-facE and video communication plaTforms in mild cognitive impairment (SUPERBRAIN-MEET): Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background And Purpose: The SoUth Korea study to PrEvent cognitive impaiRment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention (SUPERBRAIN) proved the feasibility of multidomain intervention for elderly people. One-quarter of the Korean population over 65 years of age has mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Digital health interventions may be cost-effective and have fewer spatial constraints.

A Longitudinal Study on Memory Enhancement in Subjective Cognitive Decline Patients: Clinical and Neuroimaging Perspectives.

Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) refers to the self-reported persistent cognitive decline despite normal objective testing, increasing the risk of dementia compared to cognitively normal individuals.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the attributes of SCD patients who demonstrated memory function improvement.

Methods: In this prospective study of SCD, a total of 120 subjects were enrolled as part of a multicenter cohort study aimed at identifying predictors for the clinical progression to mild cognitive impairment or dementia (CoSCo study).

Predicting amyloid PET positivity using plasma p-tau181 and other blood-based biomarkers.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of combining plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181, amyloid beta (Aβ)42/Aβ40, neurofilament light (NfL), and apolipoprotein E () genotypes for detecting positive amyloid positron emission tomography (PET), which is little known in the Asian population, in two independent cohorts.

Methods: Biomarkers were measured using a single-molecule array (Simoa) in a cohort study (Asan). All participants underwent amyloid PET.