5 QUESTIONS FOR ELLI KAPLAN

Before Alzheimer’s Awareness Month passes, we’re connecting with JOURNEY Fellow (2022-2023) Elli Kaplan . After Elli lost two grandparents to Alzheimer’s, she teamed up with leading neuroscientists and researchers to start Neurotrack , a company that’s transforming the way the disease is detected and treated. — Julie Schlosser , Executive Director, JOURNEY

1. What’s the one thing you wish every adult knew about Alzheimer's prevention?

That it works. Study after study shows that the [lifestyle] recommendations, when adhered to, are extremely effective. Our own studies at Neurotrack, funded by the NIH and published in peer-reviewed publications, show that we can improve cognitive function over time when we take action in terms of what we eat, drink, and how we move our bodies—including simple swaps like cooking with olive oil rather than vegetable oils and butter. These proactive actions center on lifestyle—exercise and pumping blood to the brain, increasing levels of klotho (a protein with anti-aging qualities), eating a Mediterranean diet, minimizing alcohol,? getting high quality sleep, and working to reduce stress. For women, it might also include starting hormone replacement therapy during menopause. We’re also seeing that certain environmental factors play a role like pollution. We’re seeing new research that indicates very extreme pollution, like that that occurred after 9/11, has contributed to Alzheimer’s disease.??

2. How do your rapid digital cognitive screenings work??

Neurotrack’s three-minute screening test is a digital cognitive test that tests the brain’s processing speed as well as its working memory and executive function. These are often the aspects of brain function first impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. So they act as early indicators that a patient’s cognition might be impaired. The test is taken by the patient at home, ahead of the visit to the doctor’s office, or at the beginning of the appointment when other vital information is collected. The results are calculated instantly, and the doctor is provided with next steps for the patient. If a diagnosis is made, that might include additional Neurotrack cognitive tests and/or care management.

3. Do you think this will become the norm for annual checkups or at a local pharmacy?

Yes, we’re at the very beginning of cognitive screening becoming a standard part of every annual checkup in the clinic or even at a pharmacy. It is a new vital sign that will get measured just like blood pressure, weight, etc. Neurotrack is pioneering this work, and we are making incredible progress, making it easier for doctors to test, get results, and have an actionable plan for their patients. We’re on track to test one million people over the next 12 months.. It couldn’t be more exciting! I’m deeply proud of our team and the work we’re doing.

4. Should we stop waiting for a miracle drug and do something proactive?

We need to do both. The collective “we” can’t stop pursuing new therapeutic drugs. But while that work continues and even regardless of a drug, there is a tremendous amount that we can do to reduce our individual risk for Alzheimer’s.?

5. Do you think we’ll find a cure for Alzheimer’s?

I’m skeptical that we’ll ever find a single cure for Alzheimer’s because there are too many different contributing causes and factors—genetics, inflammation, lifestyle, menopause, diabetes, poor cardiovascular health, the list goes on and on. That said, I think in a matter of years we will have a number of new disease-modifying drugs that, particularly when taken in combination, will be very powerful in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s and potentially halting it all together. There’s also some very early research into gene editing. It’s an incredibly exciting and promising time for Alzheimer’s treatment.

To learn more about Neurotrack, visit: https://neurotrack.com/ . To learn more about JOURNEY, visit: https://www.journeytolead.org/ .

Headshot captured by Heather Crowder