By Phil Coticelli
Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Policy Working Group
Publisher of Solving Alzheimer’s, Substack
Last week, I traveled to London for the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, the largest gathering of Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers in the world. More than 11,000 people registered from across the globe, and the energy in the room matched the size of the crowd. Four days of new science, thought-provoking conversations, and, most of all, a lot of hope.
What Alzheimer’s Research Is Showing Right Now
The research at AAIC 2026 painted a clear picture. Diagnosis is progressing faster, prediction is happening earlier, and prevention is getting more personal.
One of the studies that stopped me in my tracks came out of Sweden. Primary care physicians using blood test results diagnosed Alzheimer’s almost as accurately as dementia specialists. That matters enormously for patients who see a family doctor long before they ever reach a neurologist.
A second study went even further back in the disease timeline. Researchers found that a blood test measuring a protein called p-tau217 could help predict cognitive decline up to a decade before symptoms appear. A decade. That’s enough time to plan, intervene, and act.
The AAIC conference also shared a two-year lifestyle intervention study across 11 Latin American countries. This program improved memory and cognitive function in older adults at risk for dementia, building on similar U.S. findings. It’s a reminder that this fight isn’t confined to any one country — the same science that protects a family in Kansas can protect a family in Bolivia.
Other Advances to Note
AAIC 2026 covered considerable ground beyond these three studies. A few additional highlights from the conference:
- Researchers presented the first large study of brain health in retired professional soccer players. This adds new insight into how repetitive head injuries may affect the brain over time.
- The Alzheimer’s Association launched the PROTECT-Cog Study, a $100 million global trial testing whether combining lifestyle intervention with a metabolism-targeting drug can further reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
- A Phase 2 trial found that a cannabis-derived treatment significantly reduced agitation in people with advanced Alzheimer’s and other dementias, offering new comfort options in late-stage care.
Who I Met on the Ground
Some of the best moments at AAIC happened outside the main sessions. I connected with two guests of the show: Dr. Jeff Burns, physician and co-director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, who joined us for Episode 2, and Dr. John Showalter, who joined us on Episode 6 with his wife to talk about their specialized dementia primary care clinic in Pennsylvania.
I also spent time with Dr. Jeff Williamson, whose work excites me: a home-based cognitive screening program designed to shorten the long wait times patients face between a primary care visit and a specialist appointment.
Right now, too many people wait months, sometimes over a year, to get answers. This program is solving a huge problem right now. If we can scale it, it will help people receive the care they need faster.
Why This Conference Matters for Ahead of Alzheimer’s
I came to AAIC not as a researcher but as someone trying to raise the volume on a disease that’s still misunderstood, still underdiagnosed, and still waiting for the national attention it deserves.
Ahead of Alzheimer’s grew out of a nonprofit I co-founded, built around some of the smartest, most passionate people working on the front lines of this disease all over America. Our purpose is to address problems, find solutions, and take better care of people with Alzheimer’s.
Standing in a room with thousands of people from around the world who have devoted their careers to this fight reminded me why we built Ahead of Alzheimer’s in the first place. Our series brings together the clinicians, researchers, and policymakers doing the work and puts their findings in front of the people who need it most.
How This Shapes What’s Next for Ahead of Alzheimer’s
One idea kept surfacing in nearly every session I attended: Early action can protect you, and it can save your family years of grief. That’s the message Ahead of Alzheimer’s exists to spread, and AAIC provided new evidence, fresh voices, and more reasons to keep pushing.
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FAQs About AAIC 2026
What is the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference? AAIC is the world’s largest annual gathering of Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers, held in a different global city each year. AAIC 2026 took place in London.
Can a blood test really diagnose Alzheimer’s? New research presented at AAIC 2026 found that primary care physicians using blood test results reached diagnostic accuracy close to that of specialists, a step toward earlier, more accessible diagnosis.
How early can Alzheimer’s risk be predicted? A study presented at AAIC 2026 found that a blood test measuring p-tau217 could help predict cognitive decline up to 10 years before symptoms appear in some patients.