Scientists are making progress in how Alzheimer’s is found, treated, and possibly prevented. Many of the newest findings were shared in July 2026 at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London, where more than 11,000 people registered to attend.
Blood tests may help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s sooner
In a large study in Sweden, family doctors reviewed a blood test result along with other information about each patient. With the result, they diagnosed Alzheimer’s correctly 93% of the time. That was almost as good as specialists, who were right 94% of the time. Without the blood test, family doctors were right 65% of the time. The test was especially helpful in showing when a person did not have Alzheimer’s, so doctors could look for other causes of memory problems. The Alzheimer’s Association has created a tool to help primary care doctors know when and how to use these tests.
More medicines are being tested
The Association’s yearly review found 192 clinical trials testing 158 drugs. That is about 40% more trials than 10 years ago. Researchers are also aiming at more than one target. A decade ago, a third of the drugs being tested went after a protein called amyloid. Today it is about one in five. About one in five now targets tau, another protein linked to Alzheimer’s, and another fifth targets inflammation in the brain. Many of the drugs are already approved for other health conditions, which can speed up testing because their safety is better known.
Medicines that slow early Alzheimer’s have been approved, and Association experts call this a breakthrough. But big gaps remain. No approved medicine slows the disease in people who have no symptoms yet or in people with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s. No medicine is approved for symptoms like seeing or believing things that are not real, depression, or loss of interest in daily life.
There is hope for hard-to-manage symptoms
In a study of 120 people with severe dementia, a mix of two substances from cannabis, called THC and CBD, reduced agitation. Agitation means restlessness, upset, or aggression, and it affects about half of people with dementia near the end of life. Benefits showed up within two weeks. After 12 weeks, nearly 90% of people receiving the treatment had improved, compared with 25% of those receiving a placebo, which is a treatment with no active medicine. This treatment was made for the study and is not available to the public. Families should never give cannabis products to a loved one with dementia without talking with a doctor first.
Healthy habits can protect the brain
In a study of more than 1,000 older adults in 11 Latin American countries, a program of regular exercise, healthy eating, brain training, time with others, and heart health checks improved memory and thinking. People who got coaching and peer support improved 55% more than people who followed the plan on their own. The program fit local life, with salsa and tango dancing for exercise and foods like avocado and quinoa for healthy meals.
The Association also announced a new worldwide study called PROTECT-Cog. It will test whether adding a GLP-1 or similar drug to a healthy lifestyle program lowers the risk of memory loss even more than lifestyle changes alone. Separately, researchers found signs of changes in brain health among retired professional soccer players. This is a reminder that protecting your head is one of the Association’s 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain.
None of this means a cure is here, but the progress is real. If you are worried about your memory or a loved one’s, talk with a doctor. The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline is also available at 800-272-3900.
Melissa Grenier is a regional manager for the Alzheimer’s Association for the MA/NH Chapter and an Active Aging Advisory Board Member.
References:
Alzheimer’s Association. (2026, May 5). Alzheimer’s disease drug development pipeline is growing in size, number and variety. https://www.alz.org/news/2026/alzheimers-disease-drug-development-pipeline-is-growing
Alzheimer’s Association. (2026, July 16). Research advances from the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference [Press release]. https://aaic.alz.org/releases-2026/overview.asp