The PIA brings together a multi-disciplinary group of professionals from international clinical and research centres of excellence with experience and interest in atypical presentations of Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of the PIA is to address general issues related to AD phenotypic heterogeneity and specific issues related to posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), logopenic/phonological progressive aphasia (LPA), corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and focal cortical presentations of AD (e.g. dysexecutive, apraxic).
“ ‘Atypical’ Alzheimer’s refers to individuals who have the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, but whose initial and predominant symptoms do not characteristically relate to memory loss. Instead, their symptoms may relate to difficulties perceiving what or where things are, with language, planning and behaviour, or movement. In this way, atypical Alzheimer’s disease underlines how the same disease may affect different people in different ways.
People with atypical Alzheimer’s disease face particular diagnostic challenges, misdiagnoses and barriers to appropriate care. These challenges are exacerbated by these atypical, ‘non-memory led’ presentations being overrepresented in people who have young onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease PIA comprises >800 members across >60 countries with shared clinical and research interests regarding atypical forms of Alzheimer’s disease. To date, the PIA has enabled multi-centre working to develop criteria, share clinico-biological datasets and provide expert recommendations improving diagnosis, understanding and treatment of atypical forms of Alzheimer’s disease.
I am excited to be a part of efforts to advance the Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease PIA mission for the benefit of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease”.
Dr Keir Yong, Principal Research Fellow, Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.