Nick Fox (United Kingdom)
University College London
Institute of Neurology/Dementia Research Centre
Nick Fox is Professor of Clinical Neurology at UCL’s Institute of Neurology where he is Director of the Dementia Research Centre and Joint Head of the Department of Neurodegeneration. He is also a Group Leader and founder member of the UK Dementia Research Institute. He is active clinically as a Consultant Neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery where he runs a specialist cognitive clinic. He has clinical and research interests in young onset and familial dementias. He helped set up the first support groups for these disorders. His research includes improving diagnosis and using imaging and biomarkers to accelerate the search for effective therapies. He is a member of the Alzheimer’s Society Research Strategy Council and was a member of the Prime Minister’s Dementia Research Champion’s Group. He has received a number of prizes and awards including the 2017 Weston Brain Institute International Outstanding Achievement Award and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Alexander Morison Medal for 2018.

Moderator of 1 Session

 Conference Calendar
SYMPOSIUM

DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY, IMAGING AND FLUID BIOMARKERS IN AD, PD, LBD

Session Type
SYMPOSIUM
Date
Sat, 19.03.2022
Session Time
05:15 PM - 07:15 PM
Room
ONSITE PLENARY: 115-117
Chair(s)

Presenter of 2 Presentations

 Conference Calendar

Discussants

Session Name
0430 - FORUM ON:BLOOD-BASED BIOMARKERS COMPARISON TO FLUID-BASED BIOMARKERS, IMAGING, AND ASSESSMENT OF DIAGNOSTIC & TREATMENT EFFECTS TREATMENT EFFECT: HOW TO MEASURE MINIMAL CLINICAL EFFICACY? (ID 20)
Session Type
FORUM
Date
Wed, 16.03.2022
Session Time
06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Room
ONSITE PLENARY: 115-117
Lecture Time
06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Presenter

BIOMARKER PREDICTION OF CLINICAL ONSET: INSIGHTS FROM FAMILIAL ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Session Name
1730 - DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY, IMAGING AND FLUID BIOMARKERS IN AD, PD, LBD (ID 89)
Session Type
SYMPOSIUM
Date
Sat, 19.03.2022
Session Time
05:15 PM - 07:15 PM
Room
ONSITE PLENARY: 115-117
Lecture Time
05:30 PM - 05:45 PM
Presenter

Abstract

Abstract Body

There is increasing interest in conducting disease-modification trials in the presymptomatic stage of AD- when there is the greatest potential to save cognitive function and better chances of slowing progression.

Presymptomatic trials rely on recruiting individuals on a course towards symptomatic disease. The ability to stage participants is important for the selection of those most likely to benefit and to reduce heterogeneity and improve power.

Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) caused by APP or PSEN mutations genes offer a means of studying presymptomatic disease and understanding the sequence of biomarker changes that may help predict where an individual is in on the disease trajectory and how far they are from symptom onset.

I will review the insights from presymptomatic FAD studies about the timing of fluid (CSF, blood) biomarker changes relative to symptom onset and discuss their relevance to sporadic and familial AD. I will describe the special case of measurement of plasma Aβ peptides (and ratios) in FAD. In a study of 66 family members (39 carriers vs 27 non-carriers) we found elevations in plasma Aβ42:40 ratios in carriers compared to non-carriers and differences in Aβ ratios across genotypes: Aβ42:38 ratios were higher in PSEN1 vs. APP, Aβ38:40 ratios were higher in APP vs. PSEN1. Importantly, more aggressive PSEN1 mutations (earlier AAO) had higher Aβ42:40 and Aβ42:38 ratios: in-vivo evidence of pathogenicity of peptide profiles. Plasma Aβ profiles may improve prediction of an FAD individual's likely age at onset and thereby help in trial inclusion and staging.

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