Two new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Lequembi and Kisunla, have been approved by the FDA. These drugs reduce the amount of amyloid in the brain. They are given in bi-weekly or monthly infusions in a vein of the arm, on an ongoing basis.

Amyloid is a protein that accumulates in the brain of people who develop Alzheimer’s disease. People with excess amyloid in the brain may be normal or have very minor problems with memory or language.

To find out whether a person has excess amyloid, we can do a spinal tap, or a test called positron emission tomography (PET). The PET scan is like a CT scan, but a small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected in the vein before the scan.

Once excess amyloid has been in the brain for 10-15 years, another protein, tau, begins to spread in the brain. Once tau spreads widely, removing amyloid from the brain is not likely to help. At this stage of the disease the person will have clear-cut problems with memory or speech.

To learn more about these treatments, please ask your PCP or neurologist.