Plain language summary
What is this summary about?
This is a plain language summary of an article published in the journal Brain. People with Alzheimer's disease may receive treatments that target amyloid-β – a protein in the brain that is one of the key characteristics of Alzheimer's disease when it is present in higher levels than normal. This article is about amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which can be adverse events for people with Alzheimer's disease receiving antibody treatments targeting amyloid-β (known as anti–amyloid-β antibody treatments). This article also discusses ways to identify and manage ARIA.
ARIA are adverse events that happen due to amyloid-β buildup in the brain or following treatments targeting amyloid-β. ARIA are identified on MRI scans as swelling or bleeding in the brain, and people with ARIA do not typically have symptoms. In rare cases, ARIA can cause serious symptoms or lead to disability.
What are the key takeaways?
There are two types of ARIA: ARIA-E (swelling in the brain) and ARIA-H (bleeding in the brain).
Presence of an APOE ε4 gene variant and exposure to anti–amyloid-β antibody treatments are major risk factors for ARIA.
With the recent availability in the clinic of antibody treatments targeting amyloid-β, increased awareness is needed to identify, monitor and manage ARIA effectively.
What were the main conclusions reported by the researchers?
Uniform detection, monitoring and management of ARIA are essential in patients receiving antibody treatments targeting amyloid-β. To increase ARIA detection in clinical trials and clinical practice, the authors recommend the implementation of uniform imaging protocols and rigorous reporting standards.
Keywords: : Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, Geriatrics, Imaging, Risk factors
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Acknowledgments
Eisai Inc. and the authors thank everyone who contributed to this publication.
Financial disclosure
This plain language summary was funded by Eisai Inc. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
Competing interests disclosure
The authors have no competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
Writing disclosure
Medical writing support, under the direction of the authors, was provided by Anjali Balakrishnan, PhD, and Katie Groschwitz, PhD, both of CMC Affinity, a division of IPG Health Medical Communications, and was funded by Eisai Inc., in accordance with Good Publication Practice (GPP 2022) guidelines.