Advances in Multifaceted Drug Approaches for Dementia in Movement Disorders: Charbel Moussa, MBBS, PhD

WATCH TIME: 7 minutes

“Dementia is many problems at the same time, and developing drugs that modify the disease requires addressing multiple issues simultaneously.”

Emerging therapies are being developed to delay the onset or progression of certain dementias, offering hope for improved patient outcomes. These advanced treatments aim to alleviate symptoms and target the underlying mechanisms of the disease, potentially slowing or stopping its progression. Therefore, healthcare providers must stay informed about these current and upcoming therapies to understand their mechanisms, benefits, and limitations. Being knowledgeable about these disease-modifying approaches is crucial for offering the best possible care and guidance to patients, ensuring they are aware of all available treatment options.

At the 3rd Annual Advanced Therapeutics in Movement and Related Disorders (ATMRD) Congress, organized by the PMD Alliance from June 22-25, 2024, Charbel Moussa, MBBS, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC), presented on disease-modifying treatments for dementias. In his talk, he discussed how healthcare providers can identify presenting symptoms, understand the etiology, conduct diagnostic workups, and explore treatment options, particularly focusing on disease-modifying therapies that are either available or in development for memory disorders.

Moussa, who also serves as the director of the GUMC Translational Neurotherapeutics Program and the Laboratory for Dementia and Parkinsonism, sat down with NeurologyLive^® at the Congress to discuss how small blood vessel disease can contribute to dementia and cognitive decline. He also talked about the role that DDR1 receptors play in the development of fibrosis and dementia. Furthermore, Moussa spoke about how gene therapy and stem cell treatments might evolve to address neurodegenerative diseases.

Click here for more coverage of ATMRD 2024.