Most doctors don't yet test for regular PET scans to measure tau or amyloid. If you have those biological markers, or are facing cognitive decline, the best way to get examined and treated right now is to take part in a clinical trial. Neurology specialist Dr. Michael Mega joins Suzanne courtesy of Athira Pharma to tell us more. Athira's compound hopes to improve patients in their clinical trial, hopefully offering beginning or middle stages to slow progression and improve their lives.

Dr. Mega says, "There's this arc of disease progression going from preclinical, when you have a positive biological marker for plaque tangles, to prodromal, when you're only mildly affected and have plaque and tangles in your brain, to full blown Alzheimer's disease. When you have family saying you can't live by yourself anymore, you've got full blown dementia. Most neurologists don't test for that. The best way to get tests for that for free are to take part in clinical trials. Why do you want to take part in a clinical trial? Well, the only way the FDA moves molecules forward through various levels of testing and into your drug store is by those kind souls, those wonderful patients and families that volunteer to take part in a clinical trial. And that's the only way that we can join the worldwide fight against Alzheimer's, to come up with a cure, is to avail ourselves to getting the word out that these clinical trials are so important."

Regarding Athira's clinical trial, Dr. Mega explains, "Athira Pharma is based in Seattle, and they have a very interesting molecule that is both a nerve growth factor activator as well as influences the anti-inflammatory process that is hoped to help slow progression, but more importantly, they're hoping for people getting better with their molecule. As you know, the drugs that are currently available in the drug store are known not to change the course of the disease. But a small group of people can symptomatically improve for a relatively short period of time. Athira is hoping to leverage their nerve growth factor mechanism in order to increase the neural communication between cells, that could be even revealed through brain wave patterns, but also insulin paper testing. And so their drug is hopefully going to offer patients who are in the beginning or the middle stage of the disease, hope to slow progression, and make their lives and their families' lives better."

Visit the Center for Cognitive Health to learn more, see details on cutting edge research, and a list of active clinical trials at their clinic. You can also call (503) 476-9788. Hear more Alzheimer's-related podcasts from Athira Pharma, as well as other shows with Dr. Michael Mega. Visit lift-adtrial.com to learn about Athira Pharma's LIFT-AD Alzheimer's Disease trial.

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