Michael McHale , 2025-06-24 07:31:00
Irish researchers develop mapping model that can compare results from multiple Alzheimer’s studies
Irish researchers have helped develop a first-of-its-kind method for comparing research findings into potential new treatments for Alzheimer’s to improve outcomes for patients with the disease.
The research and scientific community have seen significant developments in recent years in their efforts to develop treatments that can stop or delay the progression of Alzheimer’s.
This new research, led by scientists based in Trinity College Dublin, aims to compare the findings from international clinical trials, which they hope will lead to emerging therapies reaching patients sooner.
“As breakthrough drug treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia are becoming increasingly likely, regulators worldwide must compare new and existing treatments in deciding to recommend market authorisation,” said the study’s senior author, Dr Dominic Trépel of TCD’s Global Brain Health Institute.
“This collaboration between Trinity College Dublin and the Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, is an example of industry-university collaboration that produce high quality and rigorous scientific output.”
Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the research maps two commonly used cognitive assessments: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Clinical Dementia Rating – Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB).
The mapping will allow users to translate scores from one assessment tool to the other. These measures are often used independently in clinical trials and clinical practice, making comparing results across different studies challenging.
This paper addresses that gap, providing a complete mapping to translate measurements of clinical severity across data from clinical trials, real-world evidence, and clinical practice. This study will help researchers compare new types of evidence from different sources.
The model was developed using MMSE and CDR-SB scores from 26,729 patients in the US National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Centres (NACC) database. The mapping demonstrated strong performance, particularly in the earlier stages of the disease.
Looking ahead, the mapping can support randomised controlled trials by enhancing feasibility assessments and extending the use of routinely collected data to track long-term outcomes. It also has the potential to play a critical role in standardising evidence submitted for health technology assessments across markets.
Findings of the study will allow regulators – who approve market access treatments – to compare data and ultimately determine if products should be granted licences.
The research was carried out in partnership with LCP Health Analytics.
“As new Alzheimer’s treatments emerge; this mapping is more important than ever,” said senior epidemiologist at LCP Health Analytics Dr Andrew Thompson.
“This work helps lay the foundation for a more connected evidence base, supporting faster and more effective decision-making in research, regulation, and clinical care.”
Read the full paper here: ‘Extension and external validation of mapping between the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale in patients with Alzheimer’s disease’.
