Matthew Schrag Profile picture
Neurologist focused on Alzheimer's disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy and stroke. Principal investigator for SchragLab.
Jun 6, 2023 8 tweets 6 min read
I want to show you what microhemorrhages and brain swelling from anti-amyloid immunotherapies look like under a microscope. In this severe case, many of the vessels simply disintegrated - see the bleeding and numerous aneurysms in this striking image. #Alzheimer #lecanemab This is a piece of human brain from a patient who died from a side effect of the Alzheimer's drug lecanemab. The tissue is about 2.5 x 2.5 x 1cm and has been "cleared", allowing us to see the vessels in three dimensions using a type of microscope called a lightsheet.
Jun 1, 2023 13 tweets 7 min read
In Feb 2022, I sent a letter to editors at the journal Nature raising concerns about the integrity of a 2006 study describing the role of β-amyloid oligomers in Alzheimer's disease and a key assembly the authors termed Aβ*56. nature.com/articles/natur… Image First author Sylvain Lesne and senior author Karen Ashe argued that a specific oligomer of β-amyloid induced memory deficits. But some methods didn't make sense and some of the images looked manipulated, as reported by @cpiller. science.org/content/articl…
Jan 5, 2023 8 tweets 3 min read
The Alzheimer's Association wants you to believe there is a "consensus" that Biogen/Eisai's drug Lecanemab is a breakthrough. They are circulating a letter signed by ~200 physicians/scientists to support this claim. BUT - most work for/with Biogen/Eisai. alz.org/media/Document… The letter feels self-congratulatory and makes no pretense of balance. Apparently it was written by Dennis Selkoe and twelve colleagues, all seemingly with connections to Biogen/Eisai or the trials. Importantly, not all bothered to disclose this connection (a recurring problem).
Nov 30, 2022 12 tweets 4 min read
My thoughts on the phase 3 results of Alzheimer's drug lecanemab from Biogen and Eisai, presented at #CTAD #CTAD22 and published this evening in the @NEJM. Major takeaway – this is NOT the breakthrough we have been waiting for. Key points: Neuroitic plaque (stained green) surrounded by dystrophic ne 1) This trial is much better than the frustrating data associated with Aducanumab. Demographics are well balanced between groups and are (somewhat) more representative, the protocol is coherent and there aren’t major technical problems.