SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) For the millions of Americans touched by Alzheimer’s disease, 2025 brought major advances in understanding of brain health and progress in diagnosis and treatment. Here are the year’s biggest advances, along with how you can take action with this knowledge in 2026:

1) A structured plan can sharpen brain health.

In a major U.S. clinical trial of older adults at risk for cognitive decline, two healthy lifestyle plans in the Alzheimer’s Association’s U.S. POINTER study improved memory and thinking skills over two years. Both interventions included exercise, brain-healthy nutrition, cognitive training and heart health monitoring. However, participants in a highly structured program that also included regular coaching and peer support showed significantly greater brain health gains, demonstrating that when brain-healthy habits are organized and supported, people stick with them and thinking skills benefit.

Next steps for families: Start small but structured: aim for 150 minutes of weekly exercise of at least moderate intensity, Mediterranean-style meals, 7–8 hours of sleep per night, and 2–3 short brain-training sessions each week. Put goals on a shared calendar, find an exercise or brain-health buddy, and schedule regular check-ins with your clinician or healthcare professional.

2) Simple blood tests can help spot changes earlier.

In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared two blood tests that detect Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, offering a less invasive, less expensive option for those experiencing memory changes to support diagnosis and potentially reduce the need for PET scans or spinal taps. Blood tests are not stand-alone diagnostic tools, but their use can help guide next steps for testing, treatment and planning. The Alzheimer’s Association has developed clinical guidelines to help specialists determine when to use blood tests alongside established “gold standard” tests and clinical judgment.

Next step for families: Ask your health care team whether an Alzheimer’s blood test makes sense for you or a loved one, and how your results would affect lifestyle and health care plans. If they recommend testing, ask them to refer you to a specialist who can explain the results and next steps.

3) Americans want to know and act sooner.

A recent Alzheimer’s Association national survey of adults 45 and older found most want to learn early if they have Alzheimer’s before symptoms impact their lives, and 9 out of 10 would take a simple test, if available, to clarify next steps. Nearly 3 in 5 respondents said they would accept a moderate or high level of risk to take medication that could slow the disease’s progression.

Early awareness unlocks time to live healthfully, organize support, consider treatment options, and plan finances and care preferences.

Next step for families: Bring your top concerns, what’s changed (memory, mood, function), and goals for the next three months to your next appointment.

4) Treatment can be easier to take.

The August 2025 FDA approval of Leqembi for delivery via weekly subcutaneous injections may ease treatment for some patients. Those who complete initial infusion treatments as directed for 18 months can now receive their subsequent weekly treatment using at-home autoinjectors.

Fewer infusion clinic visits can mean less travel and lower caregiver burden, making it easier to stick to treatments for eligible patients. Decisions depend on eligibility, monitoring requirements, side-effect profile, and your clinician’s judgment.

The Alzheimer’s Association encourages clinician participation in ALZ-NET, a nationwide program collecting real-world data on Alzheimer’s treatments.

Next step for families: If treatment is on the table, ask whether at-home injections might be an option after the initial phase, and what monitoring you’d still need.

5) A new clinician hub helps care teams stay current.

When clinicians have fast access to evidence-based resources, patients get clearer answers and more consistent care. The new centralized professional portal, ALZPro, launched by the Alzheimer’s Association, now curates practice guidelines, professional training, and point-of-care tools for earlier detection, appropriate test use, treatment eligibility and safety monitoring.

Next step for families: Let your health care professional know that the Alzheimer’s Association has new research, training and support materials for professionals.

For information, support, research and public policy, visit The Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

From new diagnostic tools and treatments to proven lifestyle plans, major advances in Alzheimer’s in 2025 can change how you manage the disease in 2026.

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