Clinical Issues in Alzheimer’s Disease

Faculty

Alireza Atri, MD, PhD
Director, Banner Sun Health Research Institute
Memory and Cognitive Disorders, Neurology
Banner Health
Sun City, Arizona

Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC
Medical Director, Toronto Memory Program
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Consultant Neurologist, North York General
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Marwan N. Sabbagh, MD, FAAN
Professor of Neurology, Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders Division
Barrow Neurological Institute
Research Professor, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix
Clnical Professor of Neurology, Creighton University
Phoenix, Arizona

Target Audience

This activity is designed to educate a multidisciplinary audience, including neurologists, geriatricians, and other clinicians involved in the management of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Program Description

Alzheimer’s disease is becoming increasingly prevalent as the general population ages and is expected to affect 14 million people by 2050. As research continues to evolve, new understanding of pathophysiological targets has shaped drug development, leading to the recent approval of an anti-amyloid therapy, with hope that additional targeted therapies will follow. Clinicians must incorporate not only traditional means of assessing cognitive decline in practice, but also advances in biomarker techniques and novel therapies. Faculty will discuss and debate topics related to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease including implications for treatment targets, best practices for assessing patients with MCI or early-stage disease, the latest clinical profiles and trial evidence for newer targeted therapies, and how to best utilize these treatment options in real-world practice. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Describe clinically relevant aspects of Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology, including amyloid β and tau
• Evaluate patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease using cognitive scales, biomarker imaging, clinical examination, and patient/caregiver interviews
• Explain clinical trial data, challenges, and future directions with targeted therapies for early Alzheimer’s disease
• Manage patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease through ongoing communication, shared decision making, and appropriate selection for treatment with targeted therapy

Agenda

• What's the latest on Alzheimer's Disease Pathophysiology?
• Evaluating Patients With MCI or Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease
• New Treatment Strategies for Early-Stage Disease
• Postactivity Questionnaire and Q&A Session

Physician Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications. Global is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

This CME/CE activity complies with all requirements of the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act. If a reportable event is associated with this activity, the accredited provider managing the program will provide the appropriate physician data to the Open Payments database.

Physician Credit Designation

Global Education Group designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse Practitioner Continuing Education

 This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Accreditation Standards of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) through the joint providership of Global Education Group and Integritas Communications. Global Education Group is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education. Provider number: 110121. This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour(s) (which includes 0.0 hour(s) of pharmacology).

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Global Education Group (Global) adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. All persons in a position to control the content of an accredited continuing education program provided by Global are required to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible company within the past 24 months to Global. All financial relationships reported are identified as relevant and mitigated by Global in accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE in advance of delivery of the activity to learners. The content of this activity was vetted by Global to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias.  

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

The faculty have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

Alireza Atri, MD, PhD - Consulting:  Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., AZTherapies, Inc., Biogen Inc., Eisai Co., Ltd., JOMDD (Japanese Organization for Medical Device Development), F. Hoffmann-La Roche/Genentech, Inc., H. Lundbeck A/S, Novo Nordisk A/S, Qynapse; Grants/Research: Alzheon, Inc., Athira Pharma, Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.  (with Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study [ADCS]), Eisai Co., Ltd. (with Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium), Eli Lilly and Company (with NIH), Vivoryon Therapeutics NV (with ADCS) VIVA-MIND Clinical Trial

Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC - Nothing to disclose

Marwan N. Sabbagh, MD, FAAN - Consulting: Alzheon, Inc., Biogen Inc,, Eisai Co., Ltd., F. Hoffmann-La Roche-Genentech, Inc., KeifeRx, Eli Lilly and Company, NeuroTherapia, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S, Signant Health, Synaptogenix, Inc., T3D Therapeutics, Inc.; Stock Option Holder: Athira Pharma, Cognoptix Inc, Cortexyme, Inc., NeuroReserve, NeuroTau, Inc., Optimal Cognitive Health Company LLC, Seq Biomarque LLC, TransDermix, uMETHOD Health, Versanum Inc.

The planners and managers have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

Kristin Delisi, NP: Nothing to disclose
Lindsay Borvansky: Nothing to disclose
Andrea Funk: Nothing to disclose
Liddy Knight: Nothing to disclose
Ashley Cann: Nothing to disclose
Gena Dolson, MS: Nothing to disclose

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. Global Education Group and Integritas Communications do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must review the activity as well as successfully complete the posttest, by achieving a score of 70% or higher, and evaluation form.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

Global Contact Information

For information about the approval of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.