Each examination and spinal tap conducted in the study contributes to the revelation of Alzheimer's disease
Long-Running BIOCARD Study Offers Hope for Early Alzheimer's Detection
In a groundbreaking longitudinal study, the BIOCARD project, initially started by the NIH in 1995 and now led by Johns Hopkins, is tracking individuals who are cognitively healthy to identify early biomarkers and changes predictive of later Alzheimer's disease.
The BIOCARD study, a significant research endeavour, aims to collect comprehensive, repeated biological and cognitive data from participants over many years to understand the earliest changes preceding Alzheimer's symptoms. This includes blood samples, cerebrospinal fluid, neurocognitive testing, MRI, and PET scans.
The study, which resumed after a four-year hiatus in 2009, has over 470 participants scattered across the United States, Canada, and Fiji. One of these participants is Larry Scarber, who travels annually from Snowflake, Arizona, to Baltimore for his participation.
Marilyn Albert, a neurology professor, has led the study since it came to Johns Hopkins. Her team, including Grega and Farrington, assist participants by setting up appointments, booking hotels, arranging transportation, and even arranging flights when requested.
The significance of BIOCARD lies in its long-term, detailed monitoring of participants who were initially in their 50s and healthy, some with family history of Alzheimer's. This depth has enabled iterative, gradual discoveries, contributing crucial data that helped develop and validate an FDA-approved blood test for early Alzheimer's detection, a tool that can dramatically improve early diagnosis accessibility and treatment planning.
Participants, like Scarber and Patricia Coffey, appreciate the financial support provided by the study, covering their hotel, meals, and transportation. Coffey joined the study out of concern for her own memory, recalling an aunt who forgot how to eat due to Alzheimer's disease.
The procedures in the BIOCARD study have become more technologically demanding, requiring more time from participants. However, few opt out of specific procedures or skip a year. Participants, like Coffey and Scarber, are considered essential to developing new insights and eventual treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
The Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center recently won funding for the next five years, ensuring 40 years of continuous support from the NIH. The researchers do not diagnose participants, but they can provide an annual letter, if requested, stating whether the patient's cognition is in the normal range.
About a third of the BIOCARD study participants have developed either mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Despite knowing that he may not personally benefit from the data collected, Scarber has been participating in the study for over 20 years. The BIOCARD study's investigators are seeking the next round of five-year funding from the National Institute on Aging.
Each year, Marilyn Albert leads an annual online symposium to keep participants updated on the study's research progress. The symposium in 2024 included updates on how researchers are pinpointing the precise location of biomarkers that are early indicators of disease.
The BIOCARD study exemplifies how longitudinal biomarker and cognitive tracking in at-risk but initially healthy individuals can produce powerful insights and practical tools for detecting Alzheimer's at its earliest, potentially more treatable stages.
- The BIOCARD study, a long-term research endeavor, focuses on early detection of Alzheimer's disease by tracking individuals who are cognitively healthy to identify predictive biomarkers.
- As part of the study, food expenses such as meals are covered for participants like Patricia Coffey, who joined out of personal health concerns related to family medical-conditions.
- The investigation of neurological-disorders like Alzheimer's is not limited to lab research; travel is involved, as demonstrated by Larry Scarber's annual trips from Snowflake, Arizona, to Baltimore for his participation.
- Health-and-wellness programs often promote balanced lifestyles for disease prevention; similarly, the BIOCARD study emphasizes the importance of regular participation in procedures for early detection and potential treatment planning.
