While many studies explore the cognitive and functional aspects of Alzheimer's disease, relatively less focus has been put on gaining a deeper understanding of patient and care partner priorities, particularly in the early stages where interventions may have the greatest impact in slowing or delaying progression. A new article called “What Matters to Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Their Care Partners? Implications for Understanding the Value of Future Interventions,” has been published The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease and provides a brief overview of the emerging body of literature on the Alzheimer’s disease continuum, summarising what is understood about the impacts of the disease from the viewpoint of patients and their families, and outlining the emerging implications for future research and policy.
A key conclusion of the article is that there is a need to factor in the perspectives of patients and care partners to paint a fulsome picture of the impact of the disease on those most affected, guide clinical research priorities, and assess the full value of interventions. The article was authored by Professor Frank Jessen, University Hospital Cologne and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases; Jean Georges, Executive Director of Alzheimer Europe; Marc Wortmann, CEO, Marc Wortmann Consultancy; and Samantha Benham-Hermetz, Alzheimer's Research UK. Access the full article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2022.22