Clinical Dementia Research - H70 Clinical Studies

Background

With increased life expectancy, many older people are affected by dementia diseases. Dementia diseases affect memory and thinking ability. It is therefore important that we learn more about the earliest signs and the development of dementia diseases. In addition, we need to gain an increased knowledge of the underlying causal mechanisms of the different dementia diseases. In H70 Clinical Studies, we want to study which factors (eg blood pressure, cholesterol levels) can lead to a faster decline in dementia and which factors can be protective with slower decline in cognitive function. We also want to examine new possible biomarkers derived from the cerebrospinal fluid and blood and understand their connection to different dementia diseases and the underlying pathophysiology. Since many years, biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid are used to diagnose Alzheimers dementia. It is however, less examined which biomarkers could be useful to diagnose other forms of dementia such as lewy body dementia or vascular dementia. It is also unclear whether there are biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood that can predict a faster, or milder, course of the disease.

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Purpose of the H70 Clinical Studies

Therefore, the  purpose of the H70 Clinical Studies is to increase the understanding of disease processes, as well as to find new disease biomarkers and investigate how these affect the onset and course of various dementia diseases. Increased knowledge in this area can lead to improved early diagnosis and enable treatment and preventive measures against these diseases. The principal investigator for the project is Silke Kern, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg and Senior consultant neurologist and psychiatrist at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital .

Examinations

The first study visit takes place at the same time as the first visit to the Memory Clinic and in practice is similar to what is a normal routine at the Memory Clinic Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Participants will be asked about their physical and mental health, living conditions and medication. In addition, blood tests, ECG, as well as examination of blood pressure, height and weight, as well as tests of memory and thinking ability are included. A brain magnetic resonance imaging will be performed.

It is completely voluntary to take part in the study and study participants have the opportunity to leave the study whenever they want. Participants can also refuse to participate in certain parts of the study or refuse to answer some questions. If participants do not want to participate, it will not affect their future treatment in health care in any way.

News

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Selected publications

Plasma phospho-tau217 for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in primary and secondary care using a fully automated platform
Palmqvist S, Warmenhoven N, Anastasi F, Pilotto A, Janelidze S, Tideman P, Stomrud E, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Smith R, Ossenkoppele R, Tan K, Dittrich A, Skoog I, Zetterberg H, Quaresima V, Tolassi C, Höglund K, Brugnoni D, Puig-Pijoan A, Fernández-Lebrero A, Contador J, Padovani A, Monane M, Verghese PB, Braunstein JB, Kern S, Blennow K, Ashton NJ, Suárez-Calvet M, Hansson O. 
Nat Med. 2025 Apr 9. doi: 10.1038/s41591-025-03622-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40205199.

Evaluation of two plasma-based proteotyping assays against APOE ε4 genotyping in a memory clinic setting: The Gothenburg H70 Clinical Studies
Dittrich A, Blennow K, Tan K, Benedet AL, Skoog I, Höglund K, Ashton NJ, Zetterberg H, Kern S. 
Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Feb;21(2):e14610. doi: 10.1002/alz.14610. PMID: 39988952; PMCID: PMC11847986.

Neurofilament light oligomers in neurodegenerative diseases: quantification by homogeneous immunoassay in cerebrospinal fluid
Meda FJ, Knowles K, Swift IJ, Sogorb-Esteve A, Rohrer JD, Dittrich A, Skoog I, Kern S, Becker B, Blennow K, Andreasson U, Kvartsberg H, Zetterberg H. 
BMJ Neurol Open. 2023 Feb 27;5(1):e000395. doi: 10.1136/bmjno-2022-000395. PMID: 36865081; PMCID: PMC9972422.

Financiers

The research projects are financed by grants from the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the county councils, the ALF-agreement,  the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet), the Swedish Alzheimer Foundation (Alzheimerfonden), Stiftelsen Demensfonden, Stiftelsen Hjalmar Svenssons Forskningsfond and Stiftelsen Wilhelm och Martina Lundgrens vetenskapsfond.