Preventing Alzheimer's in Families with Inherited Genetic Risk
DIAN-TU Primary Prevention Trial
This project will test a medicine to stop or delay Alzheimer's from starting in people who carry a known early‑onset genetic change but have no symptoms yet.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11376864 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be randomly assigned to receive either the study drug or a placebo and neither you nor the team would know which one you get. The trial enrolls about 160 people who carry dominantly inherited Alzheimer mutations and are more than 15 years before their expected symptom onset, with little or no amyloid on brain scans. Over four years you would have regular clinic visits, cognitive tests, and brain imaging and biomarker blood or spinal fluid tests to watch for amyloid build‑up. The main goal is to see whether starting treatment before amyloid forms can prevent or delay Alzheimer pathology and future symptoms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are asymptomatic carriers of a dominantly inherited Alzheimer mutation who are more than 15 years before their estimated year of symptom onset and have minimal or no amyloid on PET scans.
Not a fit: People who already have symptoms of cognitive decline, substantial amyloid plaque on imaging, or who do not carry an inherited Alzheimer mutation are unlikely to benefit from this primary prevention trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could delay or prevent amyloid buildup and the start of dementia in people with a high genetic risk for Alzheimer’s.
How similar studies have performed: Trials that treated people after amyloid was already present have shown mixed cognitive benefit, so preventing amyloid formation before it starts is a newer and less‑tested strategy.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdade, Eric Martin — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Mcdade, Eric Martin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.