New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Dementia

Dementia describes a set of symptoms — memory loss, confusion, difficulty with language or planning — that interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for about two-thirds of cases. Current treatment includes drugs that modestly slow cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer's and supportive care for symptoms, but no treatments yet stop or reverse the disease.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing antibodies that clear amyloid plaques from the brain, drugs targeting tau tangles, anti-inflammatory approaches, and repurposed diabetes medications. Lecanemab and donanemab, both FDA-approved, showed modest slowing of decline in early Alzheimer's. Researchers are also studying prevention in people with genetic risk and ways to diagnose disease earlier using blood tests.

What to know before you search

Eligibility often depends on dementia stage, biomarker results (amyloid PET scan or blood test), genetic status (APOE4), and whether someone has had recent brain imaging showing no bleeding risk.

What types of trials are currently open

• Anti-amyloid trials — Testing antibodies that clear amyloid plaques, usually given by infusion every few weeks in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's.
• Prevention trials — Testing whether drugs can prevent dementia in people with genetic risk or early biomarker changes but no symptoms yet.
• Tau trials — Testing drugs that block tau tangles from forming or spreading, often in people with positive amyloid and tau biomarkers.
• Symptom trials — Testing treatments for agitation, sleep problems, depression, or other symptoms that come with dementia.
• Observational studies — Following people over time to understand how dementia progresses, what predicts decline, and how biomarkers change.