Behavioral Neurology & Dementia | Behavioral Neurology at Scale: Precision Medicine, and Real-World Implementation*
Date: October 19, 2026
Time: 3:45 pm to 5:15 pm
Room: Coral 2
Track: Traditional Special Interest Group (SIG)
Session Description
Behavioral neurology is entering a new era in which advances in precision medicine, digital phenotyping, artificial intelligence (AI), and scalable care delivery models are transforming how clinicians identify and treat neurologic and neurobehavioral disorders. As patient populations grow and access to specialty care remains limited, there is an urgent need for high-throughput approaches that enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalize treatment selection, and expand the reach of evidence-based interventions across diverse clinical settings.
This session will highlight emerging strategies that leverage multimodal data, biomarkers, AI-enabled analytics, and individualized treatment approaches to optimize outcomes in behavioral neurology. Presentations will emphasize practical implementation in real-world environments, including academic medical centers, community practices, and integrated healthcare systems. Key focus areas include scalable screening and intervention models, measurement-based care, implementation science, and the translation of precision medicine into routine clinical workflows.
The session will also showcase innovative research from junior investigators through selected abstract presentations, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and highlighting the next generation of advances in the field. By bringing together expertise across clinical care, research, technology, and healthcare delivery, this session aims to define actionable pathways for expanding precision behavioral neurology into scalable, accessible, and patient-centered care models.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Identify patients appropriate for biomarker-guided evaluation and select candidates for disease-modifying therapies in behavioral neurology.
- Apply evidence-based precision medicine and anti-amyloid treatment strategies in real-world clinical practice.
- Implement scalable strategies for cognitive screening, treatment monitoring, and longitudinal dementia care across diverse healthcare settings.
Speakers
- (Chair) Gregg S. Day, MD, MSc, MSCI
- (Co-Chair) Liliana Ramirez Gomez, MD
- (Speaker) B. Joy Snider, MD, PhD, FANA
- (Speaker) Greg Cooper, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Armen Moughamian, MD, PhD
- (Speaker) Dror Shir, MD (2026 SIG Oral Presenter)
- (Speaker) Shradha Kakde, MBBS (2026 SIG Oral Presenter)
Scalable Approaches to Anti-Amyloid Treatment, Monitoring, and Follow-up in Academic Practice
Description
Academic neurology practices are playing a leading role in implementation of amyloid immunotherapy for patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). These disease-modifying therapies require appropriate referral pathways, diagnostic and biomarker evaluation, shared decision making with patients and families and ongoing monitoring for side effects and efficacy.
This presentation will explore how academic practices can safely offer amyloid immunotherapy to the increasing number of patients eligible for these therapies, including establishing referral pathways, identifying patients appropriate for therapy, and initiating and managing therapy. Topics will include infrastructure needs and challenges with expanding numbers of patients on these medications.
Attendees will gain a greater understanding of how amyloid immunotherapy can be integrated into an academic clinical practice and of the challenges inherent in scaling up an amyloid immunotherapy clinic.
Anti-amyloid Treatment in Practice
Description
The introduction of anti-amyloid therapies has transformed the treatment landscape for early Alzheimer’s disease while introducing new clinical, operational, and financial challenges for healthcare systems. Successfully implementing these therapies requires coordinated approaches to patient selection, diagnostic evaluation, treatment delivery, reimbursement, and ongoing safety monitoring.
This presentation will examine the practical challenges of developing and implementing an amyloid-targeting treatment program for patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s disease. Participants will review current FDA-approved therapies, evolving reimbursement policies, and the impact of changing coverage criteria on clinical practice. Topics will include the implementation of subcutaneous lecanemab for both treatment initiation and maintenance, the role of biomarker testing and advanced neuroimaging in patient evaluation, and the logistical considerations associated with treatment monitoring. Drawing on the experience of a high-volume, community-based practice, the presentation will highlight practical solutions for integrating anti-amyloid therapies into routine clinical care outside of an academic medical center.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the real-world challenges associated with implementing anti-amyloid therapy programs and practical strategies for optimizing patient selection, coordinating multidisciplinary care, and delivering these emerging treatments efficiently and safely.
Deployment of Amyloid-Targeting Therapies Across the Sutter Health System
Description
The introduction of amyloid-targeting therapies has transformed the treatment landscape for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. To safely implement these treatments patients must undergo an advanced diagnostic work, careful review of the baseline MRI as well as frequent MRI monitoring for patients on treatment due to the potential side effect of ARIA (Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities). Due to these complexities access to amyloid targeting therapies has been limited mostly to tertiary memory clinics. Expanding access requires scalable care models, standardized protocols, and strategies that empower general neurologists to provide the treatment.
This presentation will examine the deployment of amyloid-targeting therapies across the Sutter Health System, highlighting lessons learned from a non-academic tertiary memory center. Participants will explore the clinical workflows including the Advanced Therapeutics for Alzheimer’s Disease Review Board, training strategies, and safety protocols that enabled general neurologists to prescribe and manage amyloid-targeting therapies. Topics will include approaches to patient selection, monitoring for treatment-related adverse events, and health system implementation including ARIA rates to support the safe and equitable delivery of these therapies.
Attendees will leave with practical insights into developing scalable models for implementing amyloid-targeting therapies, empowering community neurologists, and expanding access to advanced Alzheimer’s disease treatments while maintaining high standards of patient safety and quality of care.
Clinical and Comorbidity Correlates of Discordant Plasma p-tau217
Description
As plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) moves into routine clinical use for the evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease, clinicians increasingly rely on blood-based biomarkers to determine which patients require confirmatory testing and further diagnostic evaluation. Although plasma p-tau217 has high diagnostic accuracy for identifying AD pathology, discordant results occur and may lead to incorrect interpretation if blood-based biomarkers are considered in isolation. Understanding when and why discordance occurs is therefore important for the safe and effective implementation of these tests in clinical practice.
This presentation will examine discordance between plasma p-tau217 and confirmatory Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, including amyloid PET and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, in a large clinical cohort. Topics will include frequency and direction of discordant results as well as clinical and demographic factors associated with discordance. Particular attention will be given to circumstances in which a negative plasma p-tau217 result may not exclude underlying AD pathology and to how patient characteristics may influence biomarker interpretation.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the limitations of plasma p-tau217 as a stand-alone diagnostic test and practical insights into how blood-based biomarkers can be integrated with clinical assessment and confirmatory testing.
Efficacy and Safety of Anti-Amyloid Monoclonal Antibodies in Early Alzheimer Disease: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Description
As disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer disease continue to evolve, anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies have emerged as an important therapeutic approach for patients with early Alzheimer disease. These therapies target β-amyloid, a central pathological feature of Alzheimer disease, and have demonstrated amyloid clearance in clinical trials. However, the magnitude of their clinical benefit must be considered alongside important safety concerns, particularly amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA).
This presentation will examine the efficacy and safety of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies in Alzheimer disease, drawing on evidence from randomized controlled trials evaluating therapies including aducanumab, lecanemab, donanemab, solanezumab, and bapineuzumab. Participants will review their effects on cognitive and functional outcomes, including CDR-SB, ADAS-Cog, and MMSE, and explore the risk of treatment-associated ARIA. The presentation will also discuss how the balance between potential clinical benefit and treatment-related risk can inform patient selection, counseling, and monitoring in clinical practice.
Attendees will leave with a greater understanding of the evidence supporting anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapy, the magnitude of its potential effect on cognitive decline, and the safety considerations associated with treatment. Participants will gain practical insights into interpreting the evolving evidence, discussing expected benefits and risks with patients and families, and applying appropriate monitoring strategies in clinical practice.
