Advances That Unite Us: New Hope Against Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a phantom that haunts millions of families, but at the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in 2025, science has given us reason to be hopeful.
With the participation of thousands of scientists, the conference in Toronto not only presented impressive discoveries but also illuminated a clear path toward prevention and treatment.
This article, written by experts from the Alzheimer’s Association, summarizes the most notable findings presented at the conference.
From the power of a simple habit like walking to the combination of common medications, the findings remind us that the fight against cognitive decline is in our hands and that every step counts.
Below, we present the most significant conclusions that could change the future of millions of lives.
Highlights from the 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
New research results presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) in 2025 advanced the scientific understanding of the risk, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
This year’s conference in Toronto attracted nearly 19,000 registered attendees and included more than 6,400 scientific presentations.
Here are three of the main conclusions from this year’s conference:
Two lifestyle interventions in the U.S. POINTER clinical trial improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline.
Both interventions focused on increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, cognitive and social engagement, and health monitoring.
These positive results reinforce the message that healthy behavior has a powerful impact on brain health and encourage us to consider combining a lifestyle program with drug treatment as the next frontier in the fight against cognitive decline, and possibly, dementia.
Taking a combination of common drugs to treat blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes may slow cognitive decline, according to data from five studies.
A study with more than 4,500 older adults showed cognitive test scores similar to people three years younger in participants who took a combination of medications for vascular or metabolic conditions, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure—all of which are known risk factors for dementia.
Individuals with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s could benefit the most from healthy lifestyle interventions, such as walking according to data collected over a decade from three major international studies.
Older adults who carry the Alzheimer’s risk gene (known as APOE4) experienced greater cognitive benefits from non-pharmacological interventions, such as exercise, diet, and cognitive training, than those who did not.
In this study, walking was found to be the most effective healthy habit for slowing cognitive decline.
Like many healthy lifestyle changes, the key was making it a habit, as the study showed that maintaining it for at least two years produced cognitive benefits for up to seven years afterward.
For more information on Alzheimer’s and dementia research, visit alz.org/research.
We invite you to visit the Alzheimer’s Association booth at My Health Fair.
In this space, a team of experts will be at your disposal to offer detailed information about the latest research advances, as well as to guide you on the resources and support services available in your community.
