September is World Alzheimer’s Day – but at Re:Cognition Health we believe the conversation around Alzheimer’s should extend far beyond a single day. Our understanding of the disease has changed dramatically, as have the opportunities to diagnose, manage and treat it. The message is clear: the earlier we act, the more we may be able to do.
For decades, Alzheimer’s was largely approached as a condition to be diagnosed once symptoms had become significant and then managed as the disease progressed. That approach is changing.
We now understand that the biological changes associated with Alzheimer’s can begin many years before memory loss becomes obvious. We also know that a significant proportion of dementia risk is linked to potentially modifiable factors including cardiovascular health, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, smoking, hearing loss, excessive alcohol consumption, depression and social isolation.
We now have more sophisticated diagnostic tools, disease-modifying treatments for appropriate patients, and clinical trials exploring whether we can intervene even earlier.
At Re:Cognition Health, we have been part of this transformation from the beginning.
From diagnosis to intervention
Our teams were involved in the clinical development of Kisunla (donanemab) and Leqembi (lecanemab), two anti-amyloid treatments that can slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s disease in appropriately selected patients.
Today, our teams have more experience delivering these treatments than any other clinic in the UK.
This experience matters because disease-modifying Alzheimer’s treatment is much more than administering a medication. It requires careful patient selection, detailed cognitive and clinical assessment, appropriate brain imaging and ongoing monitoring throughout treatment.
Our specialist focus on neurological and cognitive disorders brings these elements together within one clinical environment, allowing patients to be assessed and supported by teams with specific expertise in brain health and Alzheimer’s disease.
But treatment is only one part of the picture.
We need to think about brain health before symptoms become significant
One of the most important developments in our understanding of dementia is the recognition that risk is influenced by a range of factors across our lives.
The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care estimated that up to 45% of dementia cases could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors.
These include factors such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, hearing and vision loss, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, depression, social isolation, air pollution and traumatic brain injury, as well as educational attainment earlier in life.
This does not mean that an individual can reduce their personal risk by 45%, nor does it mean dementia can always be prevented. Genetics, age and other factors also play an important role.
What it does demonstrate is that there is considerable opportunity to take a proactive approach to brain health.
At Re:Cognition Health, our structured Brain Optimisation Programme has been designed around this principle – helping individuals understand their cognitive and brain health, identify relevant risk factors and take steps that may support long-term cognitive health. In routine healthcare, these different aspects of health are often assessed separately – blood pressure, cholesterol, mental health and hearing, for example. What can be missing is a broader view of how these factors come together in relation to an individual’s long-term brain health. That is where our Brain Optimisation Programme comes in.
The earlier we understand an individual’s starting point, the more opportunity there may be to make meaningful changes.
Know your brain health
Being proactive does not necessarily mean waiting until something feels wrong.
Our CognitionCheck assessment is designed to provide a comprehensive picture of cognitive function, brain health and memory. It brings together cognitive testing, a p-Tau217 blood test, brain MRI and specialist clinical review for adults aged 50 and over.
We also offer genetic and blood testing, which can provide additional information to help individuals better understand their risk and inform conversations about their future brain health.
The purpose of assessment is not simply to give someone a diagnosis.
Sometimes it identifies an underlying problem that requires further investigation. Sometimes it highlights areas where risk factors can be addressed. And sometimes it provides reassurance.
Most importantly, it gives people information on which to base their next steps.
The next generation of treatments is already being investigated
While we have made significant progress, there is still much more to learn.
Our clinical trials programme is helping to advance the next generation of Alzheimer’s treatments, including research investigating whether we can intervene before symptoms develop.
One example is PrevenTRON, a Phase III clinical study investigating whether trontinemab can delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in people who are at high risk but do not yet have symptoms.
This represents an important shift in the field.
Rather than waiting for Alzheimer’s to become clinically obvious, researchers are asking whether identifying people at risk earlier could allow treatment to begin before significant cognitive decline occurs.
Clinical research is ultimately how today’s treatments became possible – and how the treatments of tomorrow will be developed.
Earlier doesn’t mean alarmist. It means informed.
We understand why people can be reluctant to investigate changes in their memory. The prospect of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be frightening, and many people still believe that there is little point in knowing because there is no cure.
But that is no longer the whole story.
Today, an assessment can lead to very different pathways depending on what we find: addressing modifiable risk factors, optimising brain health, monitoring changes over time, investigating another potentially treatable cause, considering disease-modifying treatment where appropriate, or exploring clinical research.
And that is why we believe the conversation around Alzheimer’s needs to change.
Don’t wait for memory problems to become impossible to ignore.
If you or someone close to you has noticed persistent changes in memory, thinking or behaviour, find out what is happening. It may not be Alzheimer’s. But understanding the cause is the first step towards knowing what you can do next.
Alzheimer’s care is no longer simply about managing decline once it has happened.
It is increasingly about understanding risk, protecting brain health, diagnosing earlier, treating appropriately and advancing research for the future.
Alzheimer’s is changing. The way we approach it needs to change too.
For a comprehensive assessment of your brain and memory health, for new-generation Alzheimer’s treatments or information about participating in clinical trials, contact our team: https://www.recognitionhealth.com/contact/