Alzheimer’s Disease, with Dr. Charles Bernick

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following podcast is provided by Athira Pharma and Answers for Elders radio.

-And welcome everyone to Answers for Elders radio and we have had a great hour and we are now going to be connecting with Dr Bernick, who is with the University of Washington and working with a theory. It’s Athira Pharma, regarding an Alzheimer’s trial that we’ve been talking about now for the last several weeks, and certainly we have a lot of families here in the Pacific northwest, and we have a higher percentage of those that have Alzheimer’s over other areas in the country. And we’re excited to partner with Athira Pharma and with a clinical trial because we’re always looking forward to that final individual that will finally will find a cure. And one of the people that we are very excited about is with us today, Dr Charles Bernick, who is a medical doctor but also you are on staff with the University of Washington. Is that correct, Dr Bernick? Yesterday to thank you all, just with the university Washington and you’ve been studying Alzheimer’s disease for a very long time. I’m why don’t you just give me like a short little information about your background, you know. 

-So I’ve been is actually involved in Alzheimer’s disease work for over thirty years and it’s just been amazing to see the changes and have that perspective of really help far we’ve advanced in understanding Alzheimer’s disease at these new treatments that the corner Sir and and certainly you know as somebody who my mom had. She had actually dementia, but it advanced. She had vascular dementia. But one of the things that I know is is that what families are going through today? Certainly not. And I think one of the biggest challenges that we have is trying to understand, you know, number one, what’s happening in the early stages of a loved one. And and and you know, as you’ve been studying, what do you think are the main signs and symptoms, you know, in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, like what happens? And they also sometimes it’s very difficult to actually identify those reasons they’re so common anyway. So misplacing objects having a word on the tip of the total longer. But when these changes started to become more prominent more frequently, rust and every being the earliest change, usually so also other things such as processing information, ixcisions, even changes in behavior. People sometimes be or esthetically used and motivation. Sometimes that people have no insight into their changes themselves. And these are all occur very, very slowly, very subtly initially. So for some families it’s hard to determine really what’s abnormal. But but when you start seeing that progression, when things become more frequent, than that’s a time to really get it checked. Yeah, and I know there’s so many families out there that have said, you know, I noticed that maybe something was off, but I didn’t really know what it was. I think that’s one of the things that we hear a lot of. You know. I know for when I started realizing with my mom there were certain things that do would just come out of her mouth, but I didn’t that I it wasn’t her. You know, there was something not right, and I think sometimes we as families we need to kind of trust our gut. That way, if you feel like something’s not right it, maybe you know something that could be handled in the goodness is or you’re that you can treat the longer, that you can prolong you know that advanced stages of the disease. It’s not true. Absolutely you can. So it’s not. It is dolls. It could be a vitam us. Is that a small stroke that you can prevent further word? So sure really is important that that that evaluation gets still as early as possible in then the course appropriate treatment. Right. And alheimers is a form of dementia and probably one of the most common. And but they’re different types of dementia and certainly you know understanding that alzheimers is in a classification all of its on its own. It could be related to vascular, you know, blood flow. It could be related to stroke, it could be related to function like Louis Bodies in in the system. And I’m trying to I think I’m missing one other and I don’t remember. But the whole point is it’s to make sure that you know understanding that there are different types. Even if your loved one is, you know, in a situation where they’re forgetting things or they don’t remember things or they’re, you know, leaving things out, that they normally don’t do or can’t find words or things like that. So if your family obviously to get a diagnosis like this, Dr are, it has to be overwhelming part the entire family. But I think one of the things that people like you do is you bring hope and you know, I know even in since I’ve been in this world and the eldercare world, I’ve seen amazing advancements, you know, with with things, and I’m just curious, you know what, what are you seeing? And you know you’re in the front lines doing all this amazing research, clinical research. Where are you finding? Yeah, it’s really exciting times. And then I mean, and it’s where it here? That’s never happened before. There’s over a hundred drugs in testing in various for all simiars disease. There’s a lot of drugs that are looking at. People were early on. But we’re very excited about a product that, if there makes catens seventeen, doesn’t have a name it, but is actually intended to both help symptomatically and also to help protect cells in people who may have for before the along in the disease that already that may not be a killed for these ones that are very severe early on, and the perlimity data from this this product is very promising. So we’re really so excited about the study it’s self. Mum, well, and you know this clinical trial. I know that this has a potential to flow symptoms. It has the potential to do a lot of different things. What’s your hope for this trial and the outcome of this trial? Well, again, it currently in actually for the last twenty years we haven’t had any advances. We just have drugs that are symptomatic treatments. They just help symptoms, they don’t change anything really. But the two and seventeen compound we think can not only improve symptoms but also help protect cells, to cause some regeneration of high fibers, and so this would be a huge important agents that we can now apply in people who have dementia if it up, and I think that’s what we’re all hopeful for right and and just understanding that you’re measuring results as as you’re doing the trial, tell me a little bit about you know how the trial works and how are you able to measure the improvements? Absolutely well, as you know, all studies have groups that take the drug and then those a deal at the procebo group and the differences between the two. Now, traditionally we look at measures such as memory tests in behavioral changes, but which unique about this study is we’re actually using physiologic measurements. We actually see how the brain changes, measuring brain waves, age technique and also how the brain response information. So P thirty response, which we know is prolonged and all timers disease, but we think you can be actually brought closer to normal with this product. So we’re actually looking at the physiology of the brain and not just how somebody responds for memory question. And I think both of those are important. But I think that the second part is really the novel aspect of this study. Right, and obviously you know and you’re going to be measuring are having in the trial only seventy five participants. Tell me how I’d like how that works. Yeah, so this is a phase to study. Mean that it isn’t early study. If it shows a benefit, of course we’d like to study it in larger populations of people to be sure and confirm its effect. But this is a pivotal study in the sense that if we can demonstrate this physiologic benefit as well as improvement on memory and such. Sarah gives us some assurance that the drug does have a really role. That could be important in all sort of disease dimension or someone we’re going to try to sign out. How long does that last? What it’s the kind of the Para letters around it. Where did they go? What did they do? Absolutely so it’s a six month trial. After it, even the people of the seabold will have the opportunity to go on the real druids. Everybody has that opportunity eventually, and home to point the site that’s closer to you. There is a number of resources. One of those that they’re itself has a website. I think it’s like they’re clinical trials. People can find what the closest site to them is and then who to contact dissipation. That’s awesome and I know that that Dr Colis last week even said that transportation in many cases can will also be provided. So this is a great opportunity for those of you that have a loved one that maybe in then you know the early stages are moderate stages of Alzheimer’s and you know, I know for families that are out there are listeners. So many of you are struggling with how to take care of your loved one, especially during the time of a pandemic. And you know we’re really fortunate and that to have an organization like a Thera and University of Washington that are there that we’re making breakthroughs every single day. And Alzheimer’s disease. And so, Dr Burnick, obviously you talked about how people can sign up. They can go to the website. I know it’s a there aty like Tom Hire, a clinical trialscom. You can also go to answers for elders and, by the way, everyone, you can get right to the site sign up through our site where we have it right front and center on our website. You can get information and also listen to podcast from other doctors and experts that we are working with on this to certainly bring forward the information to our listeners. Dr Burnet, do you have any closing statements before we sign off? What I appreciate you on your show and I just would encourage or listeners that if they are noticing themselves or in people that are close to them, these type of changes, that should be checked out and hopefully perhaps getting over the trial, but at least get a clear diagnosis to beginning well. We’re thrilled to have you on the show and thank you again for being with us and again everyone. Go to a thera clinical trialcom. The preceding podcast was provided by a, the reformer and answers for elders radio. For more information about the Alzheimer’s clinical trial, go to a thera clinical trialscom