Redefining Alzheimer's Disease: A Podcast with Heather Whitson, Jason Karlawish, Lon Schneider

There is a growing push to change how we define Alzheimer's disease from what was historically a clinically defined syndrome to a newer biological definition based on the presence of positive amyloid biomarkers. This proposed new definition, championed by the Alzheimer's Association (AA) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), proposes that the disease exists when the earliest manifestation of Alzheimer’s pathophysiology can be detected (amyloid), even though onset of symptoms may be years in the future.

On today's podcast we talk about the benefits and drawbacks of redefining Alzheimers to a biological definition with three experts in the disease: Heather Whitson, Jason Karlawish, and Lon Schneider. In particular we spend a good deal of time talking about what this means for asymptomatic patients who may have an abnormal biomarker, which by the proposed new definition would mean they would now have Alzheimer's disease. 

If you are interested in learning more about the draft guidelines and the response from AGS to these guidelines, check out the following links:

• Revised Criteria for Diagnosis and Staging of Alzheimer's Disease: Alzheimer’s Association Workgroup

•  AGS’s response to the revised criteria