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Prevention of Alzheimer disease
Thal LJ.. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders, 2006-07-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The prevention of Alzheimer disease (AD) remains an important goal because of its high prevalence in our society and its associated costs. Two types of primary prevention trials have been conducted in AD to date: trials in independent cohorts specifically recruited for an AD primary prevention trial and cohorts in other studies randomized to a drug of interest where appropriate cognitive measures can be added. There have been numerous difficulties in conducting primary prevention trials in AD because of the need for a large sample size, long length of poor follow up, and adverse event profile or toxicity of the agents being studied. Many primary prevention trials are ongoing. However, to date, no primary prevention trial has successfully delayed the development of AD. Future primary prevention trials for AD will need to carefully consider issues of safety, tolerability, ability to follow subjects over long periods of time, methods of collecting data, and strategies to enhance recruitment to carry out such trials.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Thal, L. J. (2006). Prevention of Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002093-200607001-00015
Vancouver
Thal LJ. Prevention of Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. 2006. doi:10.1097/00002093-200607001-00015. PMID: 16917204.
BibTeX
@article{thal2006-16917204,
author = {Thal, L. J.},
title = {{Prevention of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Alzheimer disease and associated disorders},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1097/00002093-200607001-00015},
pmid = {16917204},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00002093-200607001-00015}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Two types of primary prevention trials have been conducted in AD to date: trials in independent cohorts specifically recruited for an AD primary prevention trial and cohorts in other studies randomized to a drug of interest where appropriate cognitive measures can be added.
- There have been numerous difficulties in conducting primary prevention trials in AD because of the need for a large sample size, long length of poor follow up, and adverse event profile or toxicity of the agents being studied.
- Many primary prevention trials are ongoing.
- However, to date, no primary prevention trial has successfully delayed the development of AD.
- Future primary prevention trials for AD will need to carefully consider issues of safety, tolerability, ability to follow subjects over long periods of time, methods of collecting data, and strategies to enhance recruitment to carry out such trials.
Why it matters
This paper reviews primary prevention trials for Alzheimer disease and notes that no primary prevention trial has successfully delayed the development of the disease to date. It discusses the difficulties of conducting such trials, not a proven prevention method.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer disease and associated disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 53 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.4 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Leon J. Thal: h-index 90 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California San Diego: institution h-index 1,852 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16917204) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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