Rutgers expert available: World Alzheimer’s Day (9/22)

“Alzheimer’s disease is the only top 10 leading causes of death in the US without an effective treatment,” says William Hu, MD, PhD, FAAN. Dr. Hu is Associate Professor and Chief of Cognitive Neurology at Rutgers-RWJ Medical School and Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. He is available to discuss Alzheimer’s disease research and the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with Alzheimer’s.  

“Alzheimer’s disease is caused by at least four changes in the brain: amyloid, tau, inflammation, and loss of brain cells.  Advances in neuroscience have made early detection possible for all four, but real progress will only be made when we address all four.  We need to peer directly into the brain through new fluid or imaging technology only available over the past 5-10 years, because history has taught us over the past 30 years that just looking into the blood is not enough to understand or improve brain diseases,” Hu said.  

“We have already seen more young-onset Alzheimer’s disease as baby boomers move through their 50s, and we don’t really have a clear strategy to prevent, treat, or help people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. 

During the pandemic, it was found that people with Alzheimer’s disease fared worse than those without Alzheimer’s disease.  We don’t know why, and it may have to do with abnormal inflammation or clotting in the brain of people with clinically silent Alzheimer’s disease.  We have a number of studies on these two topics, and it is important that we move quickly because COVID-19 seems to be sticking around.” Hu said.