San Diego Alzheimer's Partners Come Together

2024 Day of SCervice 

SAN DIEGO, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) and over a half-dozen of San Diego's Alzheimer's partners invite the community to a free event on March 23, 2024. A Day of SCervice, in support of accelerating Alzheimer's disease (AD) research through blood testing. Though the entire San Diego community is invited to visit ATRI and learn about new advances in AD research, those attending who are over the age of 55 and interested in participating in AD clinical trials can consent and, if eligible, have their blood drawn that day.

Dr. Paul Aisen, founding director of ATRI commented: "Now that it is possible to diagnose AD in people who are not yet symptomatic, and new therapeutic agents are emerging which remove amyloid from the brain, slowing the progression of disease, the time has come for us to offer these diagnostic and therapeutic options to those who may have the disease, but do not yet have memory problems. We are not only working to treat people with active symptoms, but establish primary prevention options for the presymptomatic."

Blood tests are very common. They are used as a regular part of general medical workups. Blood tests can be used to check cholesterol and glucose levels. They help monitor risks for heart disease and diabetes. Blood testing is one of the most affordable and easily accessible methods for detecting disease.

Currently, there is no one test for determining if a person is living with Alzheimer's or another dementia. Researchers have been using a variety of diagnostic tools combined with medical history and other information to enroll participants in clinical trials. Brain imaging (MRI, CT, PET) is expensive, and you must live near a center that can perform these tests. The collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through a lumbar puncture or spinal tap is not a first choice for many. So, the idea of a blood test being accurate for Alzheimer's is enough to bring everyone together.

ATRI, located at 9860 Mesa Rim Road in San Diego opens its doors from 9 am to 4 pm to registered guests for free. Local CBS 8 news anchor and Alzheimer's San Diego Board Chair, Carlo Cecchetto, will moderate the morning panel. Dr. Paul Aisen, founding director of ATRI and Epstein Alzheimer's Disease Director's Chair, will share more about the algorithm behind the blood test for those 55 years and older. Factors will include some basic variables (age, APOE, amyloid plasma ratio, ptau217) to screen out those that won't be likely to have elevated amyloid. For those who might be likely to have elevated amyloid, Dr. Michael Plopper will be on hand to discuss some of the research his team is doing at SHARP. 

Vital to the day is sharing "Lived Experience of Taking Part in Alzheimer's Research: Perspectives from Two Latina Care Partners." Kimberly King, Kimberly King Media, and Glenner Centers advocate will moderate Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) Research Participant Advisory Board Co-Chair Lupe Morales and member Cynthia Sierra in their presentation in the afternoon. 

"March 23 is also Day of SCervice, and the San Diego Trojan Family will be making a difference," said Shelley Moore, President-Elect of the San Diego Trojan League of San Diego County. 

The day will culminate with a screening of "Remembering Gene Wilder" thanks to Karen B. Wilder. She helped make the documentary chronicling her husband's life as a comic actor to support Alzheimer's research.

<INSERT various Partner Quotes "We are excited to participate. We all have a shared goal to generate more clinical trial participation. These clinical trials are vital to the work we do," said Janet Hamada-Kelley, Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association San Diego & Imperial County an one of the event partners. "Without clinical trials, there can be no better treatments, no prevention, and no cure for Alzheimer's disease.">

RSVP for a Day of Discovery

This no-cost event is open to all, but all attendees must individually RSVP at http://atrinews.usc.edu/2024-day-of-scervice-eng for English-language speakers or http://atrinews.usc.edu/2024-day-of-scervice-esp for Spanish-language speakers. This event will be overbooked, and auditorium seating will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early to secure your spot as seating is limited.

About Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)

The mission of the Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) is to rigorously test methods for early detection of and treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and bring effective therapeutics to the world. For more information on ATRI and its efforts, please visit our website at https://atri.usc.edu. 

Partners include Alzheimer's Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, Alzheimer's San Diego, Bright Focus Foundation, George G. Glenner. Alzheimer's Family Centers, Kaizen Brain Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, UC San Diego, School of Medicine, Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and USC Alumni Day of SCervice.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI)