The Dutch project ABOARD is working on a future with tailor-made treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD), which the consortium members are doing by focusing on the stages before dementia, as they believe the key to solutions lies in focusing on diagnosis, prediction, prevention, communication and information provision. They also believe in the importance of working together and have more than 30 partners working on the project, from across a wide spectrum of backgrounds. Between 8 and 10 October, ABOARD researchers attended the Alzheimer Europe Conference in Geneva.
Researchers from all five Dutch Alzheimer centres, from Pharos and, last but not least, from Alzheimer Nederland were present at the conference, where delegates were treated to an opening speech by Marjolein de Vugt and key note presentations from Leonie (N.C.) Visser about communication and from Sebastian Köhler about lifestyle changes and prevention. There were also speakers on blood markers, digital tools, artificial intelligence, inclusive care and research, patient perspectives, improving early recognition and involving participants in research.
It is precisely the voice of patients, family members and citizens at risk that ABOARD finds vital in the research it is carrying out, so the project is very happy to have Jean Georges, Executive Director of Alzheimer Europe, on its Advisory Board, helping to steer the work they are doing in the right direction for the target population. ABOARD is carrying out its work under the banner of the Dutch National Dementia Strategy.
