It’s no wonder that scientists are racing against the clock to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease: this neurological condition, along with other forms of dementia, gradually erodes a person’s memory, cognitive abilities and physical function. This distressing toll is felt almost as keenly by friends and family members, who are forced to watch the disease’s progression, with little hope for meaningful treatment. 

Alzheimer’s disease is the ninth-leading cause of death in the country. And with the world’s population aging, researchers project that by 2050, dementia – including Alzheimer’s disease – will affect 150 million people worldwide, including more than 1.7 million Canadians, more than twice as many as suffer from it now. 

That’s why we paid close attention to the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2025 held in Toronto in July, where clinicians and experts came together to discuss the latest innovations and advances. Here are five of the most promising breakthroughs, coming from both the conference and ongoing research, offering hope for patients and their loved ones. 

RECEPTIVE RECEPTORS

In one of the more important findings released at the AAIC, scientists from the University of California San Francisco say they have discovered a receptor that helps the brain clean itself and essentially eat up plaques or “molecular trash” that causes the disease. Here’s the breakdown: Microglia (immune cells in the brain) can digest and break down harmful amyloid-beta plaques when a certain receptor is present. This receptor, dubbed ADGRG1, is key – the team found that when microglia lacks it, plaque builds up and causes brain damage, memory loss and other kinds of neurodegeneration. But when ADGRG1 is present, microglia devours the plaques, and symptoms of Alzheimer’s are reduced. “We think this receptor helps microglia do their job of keeping the brain healthy over many years,” said Xianhua Piao, a physician-scientist in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics. Researchers also looked at prior studies and found that people who died of severe Alzheimer’s had little ADGRG1 present, which further proves the researchers’ findings. This breakthrough could lead to pharmaceutical companies developing drugs that boost microglia’s efficiency against amyloid-beta plaques. “ADGRG1 belongs to a drug-friendly family of receptors, which opens the door to future therapies that could enhance brain immunity and protect against Alzheimer’s in more people,” the study’s findings say. 

NEW DRUG: Trontinemab

While we’re on the topic of those harmful amyloid-beta plaques, there’s light at the end of the tunnel on the drug front: A medication announced at the AAIC has been shown to significantly reduce these plaques within 28 weeks in more than 90 per cent of study participants. Developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche using its proprietary “Brainshuttle” technology, Trontinemab is designed to target amyloid-beta plaque and remove it in people who have Alzheimer’s. “Alzheimer’s disease represents one of the greatest challenges in health care today and tackling it requires early detection and effective therapeutics,” said Levi Garraway, Roche’s chief medical officer and head of global product development, in a press release. “With plans for Phase III trials in both early symptomatic and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, we are advancing science with the goal of delaying – and ultimately preventing – progression of this devastating condition.” Results released at the conference showed 91 per cent of patients given the highest dose of Trontinemab saw amyloid-beta plaque reduced by 60 percent at eight weeks, and amyloid negativity at 28 weeks. What’s more, there have been far fewer side effects documented compared with other drugs used for Alzheimer’s.  

THERE’S A BLOOD TEST FOR THAT

Until now, the only tests used to diagnose Alzheimer’s have been PET brain scans and lumbar punctures. But a new blood test – approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May – that identifies the disease was recently announced. For our neighbours to the south, anyone 55 and older who exhibits signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s can go for the Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio, a non-invasive blood test that ultimately looks to see if those amyloid plaques are present. Clinical studies have shown the test identifies the plaques in more than 90 percent of cases; doctors then use that data to determine whether Alzheimer’s is an accurate diagnosis. It’s a much easier, less expensive and more accessible way to diagnose than existing methods. Importantly, the US FDA has granted this blood test as a Breakthrough Device designation – which should help accelerate its development and approval. 

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE

This one might not come as a shock, but there’s even more research now that shows a healthy lifestyle – think focusing on nutrition, monitoring your heart health, adopting an exercise regime, challenging your brain and staying social – can really improve cognition in older adults who are at risk for Alzheimer’s. A clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, conducted by U.S. POINTER and released at AAIC, confirmed that lifestyle interventions are more important than some of us recognize. The Canadian Therapeutic Platform Trial for Multidomain Interventions to Prevent Dementia – a.k.a. CAN-THUMBS UP or CTU – is also researching the benefits positive lifestyle changes can have when it comes to preventing neurological diseases using BHPro, an online program that offers users knowledge and tools to help people increase their cognitive engagement, physical activity, improve their diet and sleep, focus on vascular health and boost their social and psychological health.  

HOPE ON THE HORIZON

Two years ago, the team at Spain’s INBRAIN Neuroelectronics – which were recently named one of the 2025 Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum – developed a platform to help treat Parkinson’s disease. Using a super-thin, implantable graphene device (a strong, flexible two-dimensional material made of carbon atoms), as well as AI, the platform will read the brain’s signals, adjust neural networks and send out electrical pulses to help restore function in people with Parkinson’s. So far, data has shown that while it won’t cure the disease, it can greatly relieve symptoms. Piggybacking on the research they’ve already conducted, and once clinical trials have confirmed their hypothesis, the folks at INBRAIN say they plan to extend the platform to treat people with epilepsy, dementia, other neurological conditions and, of course, Alzheimer’s. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.