Inside STAT: Alzheimer’s scientists return to square one — and outside ideas are let in

(ADOBE)

“Confused,” “disoriented,” and “completely devastated.” These were some of the words that Martin Tolar, CEO of Alzheon, one of the few companies left standing in the Alzheimer’s disease space, used to describe the field as a whole. And the mood at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference reflected that. After a string of failed attempts at treatments for the neurodegenerative disease, researchers are now being forced back to the drawing board — and away from the long-dominant amyloid hypothesis — for new ideas. These include looking at possible links between the herpes simplex virus and Alzheimer’s, as well as focusing on another protein — tau — and how it accumulates in the brain. STAT Plus subscribers can read more from STAT contributor Meghana Keshavan here.