Tracking early brain changes in families with inherited Alzheimer's disease

The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) is a long-term study that tracks families who carry a genetic mutation causing early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Researchers want to understand what happens in the brain years before memory problems start—before symptoms appear. By following participants over time with regular check-ups, blood tests, and brain imaging, scientists hope to detect the earliest warning signs and eventually develop ways to prevent or delay the disease.

Inherited Alzheimer's disease, while rare, follows a predictable pattern because the genetic cause is known. By studying families who carry these mutations, researchers can learn exactly how the disease develops in the brain long before a person feels sick or forgets things. This knowledge could lead to new treatments not just for inherited Alzheimer's, but for all Alzheimer's disease.