This year the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) was held in the beautiful city of San Diego. Researchers, caregivers, and Alzheimer’s advocates from around the world gathered to learn about the latest research on Alzheimer’s disease. The AAIC conference provides a great opportunity for students and professionals to network and interact with colleagues and peers from around the world.
The 2022 AAIC inspired over 9,500 attendees who joined in person and virtually. The conference consisted of speakers, research and scientific sessions, clinician-focused education, continuing education courses, small group discussions, and over 4,000 presentations. A lot of knowledge and exciting discoveries were shared at this event!
Five Highlights from The 2022 AAIC:
1. Eating a diet consisting of more than 20% ultra-processed foods, like prepackaged soups and fast food, may lead to a faster decline in cognitive abilities than eating less than 20% of these foods, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
2. The EXERT study worked with inactive older adults that had mild cognitive impairment. Participants were assigned to aerobic exercise, stretching-and-balancing exercise, or remained inactive. After 12 months, results showed that participants from both exercise groups showed no cognitive decline, whereas the physically inactive group did decline.
3. Researchers from the T3D Therapeutics study presented positive early results of their investigation into overcoming insulin resistance in the brain. By 2023 they hope to better understand the biological timeline of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. New research from Columbia University confirms that people exposed to racism may be more likely to experience memory problems later in life. This has also been explored by researchers at Boston University and Emory University.
5. The Alzheimer’s Association announced the launch of the Alzheimer’s Network for Treatment and Diagnostics (ALZ-NET). Information will be collected on the effectiveness and side effects of FDA-approved Alzheimer’s disease therapies being used in clinical settings.
These highlights are just the tip of the iceberg. You can visit aaic.alz.org/pressroom/asp to learn more about the exciting discoveries shared at the 2022 AAIC.