The genetics of Alzheimer's disease have long been interpreted through the lens of the amyloid hypothesis — but what if the framework itself is the problem? In this session, Dr. Alberto Espay presents a provocative and evidence-grounded reexamination of Alzheimer's disease genetics and pathogenesis, challenging the field's three-decade-old assumptions about amyloid plaques, disease causation, and therapeutic targets. Drawing on his groundbreaking research into soluble amyloid-β and biomarker-driven phenotyping, Dr. Espay makes the case for a fundamental redefinition of Alzheimer's disease — with direct implications for how clinicians counsel patients, interpret emerging therapies, and understand risk. A session for clinicians ready to interrogate the evidence and think differently about one of medicine's most pressing challenges.

Alberto Espay, MD, MSc, FAAN, FANA, is Professor and Endowed Chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders at the University of Cincinnati, where he directs the Cincinnati Cohort Biomarker Program — the first biomarker-driven study of aging designed to match patients with neurodegenerative disorders to therapies based on biological profile rather than clinical diagnosis. A prolific researcher with over 300 peer-reviewed publications and eight books, Dr. Espay is internationally recognized for challenging prevailing models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. His work on soluble amyloid-β and the reinterpretation of the amyloid hypothesis has been featured in The New England Journal of Medicine, The Financial Times, and major international media. He has served as Chair of the Movement Disorders Section of the American Academy of Neurology, Associate Editor of Movement Disorders, and currently serves as President of the Pan-American Section of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society. His 2022 TEDx presentation on neurodegenerative disease was recognized with two 2023 Telly Awards.