The University of Kentucky is set to take part in a landmark clinical trial on an experimental Alzheimer’s drug.
Researchers hope to enroll a thousand participants ages 65 to 85 nationwide for the trial. UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging will be the only Kentucky center taking part in the study.
The trial will test an amyloid antibody that could prevent the memory loss caused by Alzheimer's. Amyloid is a protein normally produced in the brain that can build up as people age, forming plaque deposits. It’s that buildup that some scientists believe could play a key role in the eventual development of the disease.
Participant candidates will undergo a series of tests to make sure they’re right for the study, including a PET scan to determine whether doctors see any evidence of amyloid plaque buildup.