“Stopping Alzheimer’s before it starts” - This is the slogan of a new, nationwide, collaborative project in the Netherlands, led by Wiesje van der Flier from Alzheimer Center Amsterdam. ABOARD, short for “A personalized medicine approach for Alzheimer’s disease”, is a public-private project which aims to prepare for a future in which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is stopped before dementia has started. This is realised by: improving timely and accurate diagnosis, developing individualised risk profiles, initiating nationwide data collection, with a focus on patient-reported outcomes, and a focus on prevention strategies by creating awareness around dementia and brain health. In addition, the readiness of the Dutch healthcare system for disease-modifying treatment will be evaluated. The ABOARD project has a duration of five years.
ABOARD takes as its starting point the fact that AD develops over a period of over twenty years. The project is therefore focusing on the stages before the onset of dementia, working towards prevention. In addition, AD is highly heterogeneous, both in its underlying biology and specific pathways involved, and in the needs and preferences of patients and their carers. The wishes and needs of patients should be the starting point of care and ABOARD will develop (e-)tools to support patient-orchestrated care. Realising that one size does not fit all, ABOARD envisions a future with individualised prevention encompassing tailored combinations of lifestyle- and disease-modifying interventions.
Over 30 partners representing the entire translational value chain are working together in the ABOARD project. Partners include the five Dutch Alzheimer Centres, Alzheimer Nederland and partners from academic and applied research, healthcare, private, semi-private and public organisations, all dedicated to achieve personalised medicine for AD. Jean Georges, Executive Director of Alzheimer Europe is on the Advisory Board of this exciting new initiative. More information about ABOARD, including an animation-video, can be found on the website:
