Designing the next-generation clinical care pathway for Alzheimer's disease

Nat Aging. 2022 Aug;2(8):692-703. doi: 10.1038/s43587-022-00269-x. Epub 2022 Aug 19.

Abstract

The reconceptualization of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a clinical and biological construct has facilitated the development of biomarker-guided, pathway-based targeted therapies, many of which have reached late-stage development with the near-term potential to enter global clinical practice. These medical advances mark an unprecedented paradigm shift and requires an optimized global framework for clinical care pathways for AD. In this Perspective, we describe the blueprint for transitioning from the current, clinical symptom-focused and inherently late-stage diagnosis and management of AD to the next-generation pathway that incorporates biomarker-guided and digitally facilitated decision-making algorithms for risk stratification, early detection, timely diagnosis, and preventative or therapeutic interventions. We address critical and high-priority challenges, propose evidence-based strategic solutions, and emphasize that the perspectives of affected individuals and care partners need to be considered and integrated.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / diagnosis
  • Biomarkers
  • Critical Pathways
  • Humans

Substances

  • Biomarkers