AdventHealth Orlando one of 7 sites worldwide to participate in Alzheimer’s study

Maitland resident Sharon Omens, 66, noticed some memory problems over the last few years — misplacing things, forgetting names and losing track of her train of thought during conversations.

She was concerned because her mother had Alzheimer’s disease. Her primary care doctor referred her to a study at AdventHealth.

To see if she qualified, she took AdventHealth’s online memory test. The test suggested some cognitive issues, so she was called for an in-person cognitive assessment, which referred her to a neurologist. A subsequent blood test did not detect any signs of amyloid plaque, a hallmark of the disease, though this doesn’t mean she won’t go on to develop it later. The study will continue to keep tabs on her as she goes to subsequent appointments.

“I’m really glad that I got in touch with the study, because it’s given me some reassurance,” Omens said. “… I’m seeing that there are a lot of studies out there and scientists are working very hard to get on top of it. And I feel encouraged by that, that there’s so much more available now than when my mother had it.”

AdventHealth Orlando is one of seven sites worldwide chosen by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative to pilot a study that aims to make early detection of Alzheimer’s disease more accessible.

Alzheimer’s is a growing concern in Central Florida, said Dr. Steven R. Smith, chief scientific officer of AdventHealth. Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties had 52,857 probable Alzheimer’s patients in 2018, according to data cited by the local nonprofit Senior Resource Alliance.

Though there is no cure, early detection of signs and risk factors for Alzheimer’s gives patients time to participate in clinical drug trials, find the medications that work best for them, and take up activities and treatments thought to slow the disorder’s progression, such as exercising more or adopting a Mediterranean diet, Smith said.

Omens wishes her mom had had access to early detection.

“When my mother … got Alzheimer’s, they just didn’t have the same tools that they have now,” she said. “Maybe if she had found it earlier on, she could have done some things to slow it down or … be on top of it more.”

Early detection isn’t accessible to everyone, Smith noted. Tests can be expensive, complicated, and many are not typically covered by Medicare, he said.

“Medicare is really not built in a way to really support, financially even, early diagnosis and early treatment. I mean, it’s a sick care program. It was designed as a hospital-based program 60 years ago,” Smith said.

This pilot tests simpler and cheaper methods that could be used even in low- or middle-income countries or areas of rural America.

To participate, those 65 and older without a dementia diagnosis can go to BrainHealthFlorida.com to take a short, online cognitive assessment. Those who show signs of potential cognitive issues can then receive a blood test, developed by diagnostics company C2N, to see whether they have a specific biomarker of early Alzheimer’s.

The study — available in English and Spanish — has been open for enrollment to Central Floridians since March, Smith said. Researchers are aiming for 720 participants to continue in the study, which means thousands will need to take the online test and see if they qualify.

If this pilot goes smoothly, Smith said he envisions a future where getting screened for Alzheimer’s is as easy and common as getting a yearly blood or cholesterol check.

“This is not just research for research purposes,” Smith said. “It’s about building a system that we can deploy not only across AdventHealth, but potentially in the future across multiple health care systems here in the U.S.”

ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com; Twitter: @CECatherman

This article has been updated with the correct spelling of Steven R. Smith’s name.