WAI associate director Sterling Johnson, PhD, is co-author of a forthcoming Policy View in the March issue of The Lancet Neurology. The paper offers recommendations in Alzheimer’s disease treatment and prevention, with important considerations for treatments in people who are cognitively unimpaired but at risk of future symptoms.
“We discuss the scientific, clinical, and policy implications of moving disease-modifying therapies earlier in the disease continuum,” Dr. Johnson said. “Our recommendations are framed for the U.S. context, with relevance internationally, and we hope readers find it timely and useful.”
In recent years, research has made discoveries into anti‑amyloid monoclonal antibodies as potential disease‑modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. While current approvals focus on individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia, researchers are preparing for a shift to also prescribing these treatments in people who are cognitively unimpaired, but have evidence of Alzheimer’s proteins in their brain.
This approach reflects a growing scientific consensus that Alzheimer’s disease begins years before symptoms emerge. Treating the disease earlier may offer the greatest chance to slow or prevent cognitive decline.
Recent tools of blood-based biomarker detection and improved understanding of risks could dramatically widen access to early detection and preclinical treatments, but the authors caution that affordability, health-insurance coverage, education, and clinical workflow integration are urgent priorities.
Read the full article: “A path to preventing cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease: initiatives beginning in the USA” from The Lancet Neurology, March 2026