Alzheimer’s Research in 2025
What Changed and What It Means
Following the news about Alzheimer’s disease may have felt a bit like a rollercoaster in 2025. Apparent good news followed by bad news, with some hopeful headlines in between. It would have been reasonable to ask: Did anything really improve this year?
The short answer is yes, but not in the way you may have expected. There’s still no cure, and no major breakthroughs that could lead to one soon. Instead, 2025 brought steady, meaningful progress in three areas that should matter deeply to us: earlier diagnosis, more practical treatments, and stronger evidence that risk can be reduced.
Let’s break it down.
Does Targeting Amyloids Help?
Two drugs already approved by the FDA—Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab)—have been the focus of much hope, and they remained the center of attention in 2025.
These drugs work by removing amyloid, a sticky protein that builds up plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s and disrupts normal cellular functions. Large studies show the drugs can slow down the disease’s damage to memory and thinking by about 25-30% in people with early-stage disease. They don’t stop Alzheimer’s, but they may slow its progression.
In 2025, treatment with Lequembi and Kisunla became a little easier:
The FDA approved a weekly at-home injection for Leqembi after patients complete their initial infusion phase. The first-ever at-home option for ongoing Alzheimer’s makes treatment more convenient by reducing travel and clinic visits.
Kisunla’s “treat-to-clearance” approach showed it could slow decline for as long as three years by clearing amyloids.
Despite this good news, both drugs’ limitations also became clearer. They don’t help everyone, and they can cause worrisome side effects, including brain swelling or bleeding in some patients. Moreover, if taken after symptoms become severe, they have little effect.
The takeaway: amyloid drugs help some people, some of the time—but they are not a cure.
Some High-Profile Trials Failed
Maybe the most disappointing news of the year was that some much-hyped drugs didn’t work. These included semaglutide, one of the GLP-1 “super drugs” for diabetes and weight loss, and ALZ-801, which works by preventing the development of amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers, a substance similar to amyloid plaques.
These failures were disappointing, but they reinforced an important lesson. Alzheimer’s is not caused by a single problem. So targeting any one of the processes that contribute to its development: metabolism, inflammation, or amyloid, is unlikely to be enough.
Instead, researchers are increasingly testing combination treatments that address multiple disease processes at once.
A Major Breakthrough: Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s
One of the most important changes in 2025 addressed diagnosis rather than treatment. For the first time, the FDA approved blood tests that can help detect Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. These tests measure proteins linked to amyloid and tau, another hallmark of the disease.
Blood tests are much easier and less expensive than spinal taps or PET scans, the standard diagnosis methods. They also make earlier diagnosis a more realistic possibility. And they help doctors track how well treatments are working, once started.
Two tests were cleared in 2025, including one approved for use in primary care settings.
It’s important, though, to remember that these are not simple yes-or-no tests. They’re meant to be used alongside medical evaluation. Still, they mark a turning point in the diagnosis and tracking of Alzheimer’s progression, making tests far more accessible.
People Definitely Want Early Diagnosis
A national survey by the Alzheimer’s Association found that nearly 80% of adults over 45 want to know if they’re developing Alzheimer’s before symptoms start to disrupt their lives. Over 90% would take a simple blood test if it was made available. And a majority would take Alzheimer’s drugs even if they had a moderate or high risk of side effects.
The survey responses show that people are becoming less afraid and more proactive about an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, according to Elizabeth Edgerly, director of community programs for the Alzheimer’s Association, who was interviewed by NPR. Two recent changes that explain why the disease may be a little less scary for many people are those we’ve covered: the ease of diagnosis via blood tests, and the availability of drugs to treat early disease.
Can Alzheimer’s Risk Really Be Reduced?
2025 added weight to the idea that Alzheimer’s risk is not entirely predetermined.
A large U.S. study called POINTER showed that structured lifestyle programs—combining exercise, nutrition, cognitive training, coaching, and social engagement—led to measurable improvements in thinking and memory for older adults at risk of decline. In fact, the study found the effects went beyond improved cognition to include better blood pressure regulation and reduced sleep apnea respiratory events.
More good news came from a major study in Wales that found that people who received the shingles vaccine were about 20% less likely to develop dementia over the following seven years. The research, published in Nature and Cell, suggests that immune health may play a role in long-term brain health. However, while the study indicates the shingles vaccine may have a protective effect, it’s too early to consider it an Alzheimer’s or dementia prevention strategy.
These findings don’t mean lifestyle changes or vaccines can prevent Alzheimer’s outright. But they do suggest that small, practical actions may have a significant effect over time.
How does the Future Look?
By the end of 2025, more than 180 Alzheimer’s clinical trials were underway worldwide. Many are testing combination therapies, repurposed medications, and new targets beyond amyloid.
At the same time, researchers warn that cuts to federal research funding under the Trump Administration risk slowing or altogether stopping promising work. Progress against the disease requires long-term investment and interruptions can erase years of effort, making it nearly impossible to resume research, once stopped.
The Bottom Line for 2025
As much as we hoped it would, 2025 didn’t deliver a miracle. But it did deliver something more realistic:
Easier access to diagnosis
More manageable treatment options
Better evidence that risk can be influenced by practical changes
A research pipeline that’s broader than ever
For families living with Alzheimer’s, progress can feel painfully slow. But this year helped lay the groundwork for care that is earlier, more personalized, and more humane.
That matters, and it’s worth holding onto.
