Resources for Amyloid-Antibody Therapies in Early Alzheimer's Disease Lacking

Strategic Insights -

Austria's Alzheimer Society conducted a survey of hospital-based departments of neurology and psychiatry to assess their readiness for disease-modifying therapies with amyloid-antibodies for patients with early Alzheimer's disease. The research, led by Gerhard Ransmayr, Medical Faculty, Johannes-Kepler-University, found that many centers lack the necessary resources, including diagnostic equipment and staff, to provide adequate care for these patients. The Austrian Alzheimer Society's online questionnaire revealed significant disparities in the availability of resources across different hospital departments and federal states.

Key Takeaways:

  • 73% of neurology departments and 36% of psychiatry departments in Austria responded to the survey, indicating their preparedness for amyloid-antibody therapies.
  • The median number of first examinations per year and center ranges between 0 and 500, with 30% of patients achieving a mini-mental state examination sum score of 22, constituting an early disease stage.
  • Only 5% of centers preferred amyloid-PET over lumbar puncture to assess amyloid status, while 49% vice versa.
  • 44% of centers intend to offer amyloid-antibody therapy, while 15 centers have not yet made a decision.
  • Significant differences between centers and federal states were observed regarding hospital-based resources for amyloid-antibody therapies, highlighting a substantial need for early dementia diagnosis, medical, neuropsychological, nursing, and administrative resources.
  • All centers emphasized the need for structured patient pathways and multidisciplinary care networks, including neurologists, psychiatrists, radiologists, neuropsychologists operating in clinical practice, rehabilitation, and dementia care settings.

Statistics:

  • 30 out of 41 neurology departments (73%) and 12 out of 33 psychiatry departments (36%) responded to the survey.
  • The median number of first examinations per year and center ranges between 0 and 500, with a median of 100.
  • 90-100% of patients undergo medical history, clinical examination, routine blood sampling, and neurocognitive screening, while 90% undergo magnetic resonance imaging, 25% undergo cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and 2.5% undergo Apo-E testing.
  • 44% of centers prefer amyloid-PET over lumbar puncture to assess amyloid status.
  • 49% of centers vice versa use lumbar puncture to assess amyloid status.

Sources:

  • Research Results from Medical Faculty Update Knowledge of Alzheimer Disease (Resources of Austrian hospital-based departments of neurology and psychiatry for new amyloid-antibody therapies in early Alzheimer dementia : A survey of the Austrian ...). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. September 20, 2025; p 1362.
  • Wiener klinische Wochenschrift (2025) - Springer Wien, Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.