AHEAD Study

The AHEAD Study is an Alzheimer’s disease clinical trial investigating whether treatment before symptoms appear can delay memory loss and cognitive decline. It focuses on healthy adults ages 55 to 80 who have no noticeable Alzheimer’s symptoms and whose tests indicate amyloid, a protein associated with the disease, is present in the brain. The study is testing lecanemab, an investigational treatment in this early-disease context; the text notes that lecanemab has FDA approval for certain people who already have cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s.

The trial is supported by the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium and funded through a public-private partnership involving the National Institutes of Health, Eisai, Inc., and other supporters. Study services include eligibility information, screening with blood and imaging tests, and research visits at locations across the United States and Canada. Participants need a relative or close friend to serve as a study partner, and transportation may be available for visits. The study also provides participant-only videos, newsletters, webinars, and scientific updates.