Studies Reveal Credible Estimates For Alzheimer’s-Like Brain Disorder Prevalence

LATE is a recently recognized brain disorder that mimics clinical features of Alzheimer’s, which is the most common form of dementia. People who have LATE sometimes also have one or more coexisting brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and in those cases, they are more likely to have worse symptoms.

This new research included autopsy, genetic, and clinical data from 6,196 study participants and adds to a growing body of evidence that a variety of disorders and disease processes contribute to dementia. Substantial contributions of samples and data were from 10 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs), which are funded by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA), and affiliated studies. Through the ADRCs, people donate their brains after death for autopsy research. ADRC scientists provide the autopsy results to the families and contribute to a national database that provides the broader research community with information about risk factors, symptoms, and other factors in neurodegenerative diseases. Brain donation is a critical part of discovery and makes findings like these possible. More research is needed in an even wider group of people to fully understand the risk factors and symptoms of LATE.

NIA experts are available for interviews to discuss specific findings of this paper and/or the broad view of the state of Alzheimer’s and related dementias research, as well as LATE and the importance of brain donation and clinical trial participation.

• Eliezer Masliah, M.D., Director, NIA Division of Neuroscience
• Nina Silverberg, Ph.D., Director, Alzheimer’s Disease Centers Program, NIA Division of Neuroscience

The research was funded in part by NIA grants P30AG072958, P30AG072977, K08AG065463, RF1AG072080, K08AG065426, R01AG038651, UF1AG057707, R01AG021055, P30AG066519, R01AG061111, R01AG057187, P30AG072946, R01AG054449, RF1AG069052, P30AG072972, R01AG062517, U19AG069701, K24AG053435, R01AG067482, R01AG064233, R01AG022018, P30AG010161, P30AG072975, P30AG062677, U01AG006786, R01AG034676, P30AG66509, and U19AG066567.

NIA leads NIH’s systematic planning, development, and implementation of research milestones to achieve the goal of effectively treating and preventing Alzheimer’s and related dementias. These activities relate to NIA’s AD+ADRD milestones:

• 2.P, “Determine the mechanism of TDP-43 and FUS pathogenesis and toxicity.”
• 2.U, “Determine underlying pathobiologic and molecular mechanisms of cellular TDP-43 displacement, post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, and pathology in pre-symptomatic and manifest common dementias.