We’re very much looking to the day where we can change the course of Alzheimer’s disease for the first time in human history.
-Dr. Randall Bateman, Washington University School of Medicine
Trailer
Story
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
In BRAINS UNDER SIEGE: THE RACE TO SOLVE THE SCIENCE OF ALZHEIMER’S, viewers will have an unprecedented look at the human drama and scientific breakthroughs of Alzheimer’s disease. This feature-length documentary is devoted to tracking characters with a genetic mutation for Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Disease, with symptoms appearing in their thirties, forties, and fifties. Each family member has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the mutation, making them research gold for clinical studies. Never before has this level of unhindered access converged with what could be a watershed moment in the understanding of Alzheimer’s. BRAINS UNDER SIEGE will address the never before seen scientific breakthroughs coming from these trials and studies.
THE STAKES ARE IMMENSELY HIGH
The film will also shed light on the core human drama associated with Alzheimer’s Disease: the desire for identity. Although the disease touches millions of people directly, and even more when including family and friends, it is still spoken of in hushed tones and whispers. The horrors of losing one’s self are the last thing an average person wants to think about, but for those at an elevated risk of developing Alzheimer’s it is all too real. How does one cope with the looming cloud of forgetfulness? How does the family? What about the doctors whose day-to-day is inundated with the reality others brush under the rug?
The stakes are immensely high. Alzheimer’s Disease is the elephant in the room of the health care system; culturally and financially, we cannot bear the scale of what’s coming unless progress can be made.
MASSIVE WORLDWIDE EFFORT
The race to solve the science and find study participants before it is too late is led by researchers who are part of a massive, worldwide effort to explore and test a wide range of potential treatments and possibly change the outcome for millions suffering around the globe. International in scope, the film will include clinicians and families from the United States, Europe, and Latin America.
THE SCIENTIFIC RACE
The filmmakers began filming the first interviews in 2015. With unprecedented access to families with the genetic mutations and the researchers racing to beat the disease, BRAINS UNDER SIEGE will demonstrate there may be a significant window of time to intervene with therapies that might halt brain changes before they affect memory and day-to-day functioning. If the trials are successful, the end of Alzheimer’s devastation finally could be in sight.
Will this genetic form of Alzheimer’s not only point the way for those with the genetic mutation but also treatment for all Alzheimer’s patients? Are current clinical trials the best effort to increase cognition? Will the new data endpoint of a four-year trial finally show progress? BRAIN’S UNDER SIEGE will take viewers inside the scientific race to solve one of the world’s most challenging mysteries, Alzheimer’s Disease.
SCIENCE
DR. ALOIS ALZHEIMER WAS RIGHT
Given the immense social costs associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, most media stories (including documentaries) have concentrated on patients and caregivers. The real story, however, is as Dr. Alois Alzheimer suspected in 1906—the biological drama of the disease plays out in an organ: the human brain. Dr. Alzheimer did not believe his patient had gone mad, he speculated that her brain had been under siege by illness. He was right. As the disease advances, the brain loses mass, shrinking physically as the memories and identity of the patient fade. The figure of speech, that someone “isn’t all there,” is literally true of an advanced Alzheimer’s patient’s brain.
COMPELLING EVIDENCE REVEALED
Since 1993 research has focused on beta amyloid, the protein fragment that forms “plaques” that can disrupt brain signals and kill neurons. Yet people with Alzheimer’s Disease die with brains riddled by both amyloid plaques and tau “tangles.” In 2017, researchers revealed compelling evidence that tau deposits create devastating damage. “Gone are the days when we had these competing camps” of tau versus amyloid, says Dennis Selkoe, a Neurologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “It’s both--a double whammy.”
SCIENCE TO HELP VIEWERS UNDERSTAND
BRAINS UNDER SIEGE will go into the underlying brain science to clearly show, not just suggest or imply how neurons work, and how two specific threats to healthy brain function play out in cells: tau tangles and beta amyloids. This program will make use of highly specific animation to explain the anatomical and physiological concepts behind the science to help viewers understand the difference between healthy and disease states within the brain.
CHARACTERS
The Reiswig Family
Marty is a 40-year old real estate agent in Colorado. He’s part of a large extended family that’s been afflicted by Alzheimer’s for generations. His father is positive for the mutation, his brother is negative. Will Marty choose to find out his status? What impact will it have on life with his family and two children?
The Demoe Family
The Demoe family has been cursed with the genetic mutation of Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Disease that has wiped out branches of their family. Dean, 56, is gene-positive and has lived longer than all of his siblings afflicted with the disease. Both Dean and his family have devoted their lives to clinical research, to stop this before they lose anyone else.
Sophie Leggett
Across the Atlantic in the UK, Sophie, 42, just received news on her genetic status. Positive. As she approaches her family’s age of onset, Sophie realizes that she only has a few good years left. Will she be able to make the most out of the time she has left with her family?
Ruth Rivera Ruiz
Dr. Randall Bateman
Dr. Bateman majored in electrical engineering before receiving his M.D. He’s now the director of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit for the clinical trials unit known as DIAN-TU at Washington University School of Medicine. He often must make difficult decisions on who is admitted into the highly specialized clinical studies—and who is not.
Dr. Nick Fox
Dr. Fox’s first degree was in Physics and Physiology from Cambridge. He subsequently graduated with honors in medicine from the University of London and then specialized in cognitive neurology. He’s part of the UK team who learned from families like Sophie Leggett's that brain cells were silently dying away long before anyone noticed behavioral changes.
Dr. Catherine Mummery
Dr. Mummery is the head of clinical trials at the Dementia Research Centre at University College London Institute of Neurology. As Principal Investigator for the DIAN Trial site at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in London, Dr. Mummery finds working beside the trial participants to be a humbling experience.
Dr. Philip Scheltens
Dr. Scheltens is a clinical neurologist and a neuroscientist with the Amsterdam University Medical Center, as well as director of the Alzheimer’s Center. Partnered with the only DIAN clinical trial site in the Netherlands, they are anxiously waiting for the next amendment and new drug intervention to begin the trial.
If you can tell yourself that your life is going to be cut in half, you're going to want to try and accomplish everything that you want to.
-Tyler Demoe, Trial Participant
PRODUCTION
StoryTrack
StoryTrack is an Emmy award-winning video production and digital content studio based in the Midwest. With unprecedented access, the filmmakers have been tracing the incredible journey of the scientists and families shedding light on the science and treatment of Alzheimer’s. Beginning with footage from the first ever Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Family Conference in Washington DC to genetic testing and brain scans to the release of biomarker data, the filmmakers have been present.
FILMMAKERS
Lori Dowd | Executive Producer
Lori Dowd brings over twenty-five years in the television, video and multimedia production industry having worked with a large number of networks including PBS, ABC, History Channel, HGTV, and FOOD. Dowd recently produced “Works In Progress” and “Gentlemen of Vision” both funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and distributed by PBS. She also produced and directed “Weighed Down: Finding Hope for Childhood Obesity” distributed by PBS and nominated for two Mid-America Emmy’s. She previously produced thirteen episodes for Lifetime Television’s reality series, “I Married A Princess” and worked with New Wave Entertainment to produce the special two-hour documentary, “Lindbergh Flies Again,” for The History Channel. Dowd began her career as a producer for WXYZ in Detroit and is now CEO of StoryTrack Studio in St. Louis Missouri.
Steve Harris | Supervising Producer
Steve Harris is a seasoned documentary supervising producer, who started his career working on big network series like The Next Action Star (NBC) and Paradise Hotel (FOX). Harris then went on to work his way up the ranks at Bunim/Murray Productions, becoming an editor on several of their hit projects, including the long running MTV series The Challenge. Using the knowledge Harris learned as an Editor, he transitioned into a successful producer and developed, created, and Co-Executive Produced the critically acclaimed docu-series Caged for MTV. When Harris is not developing series, he works as a producer on hit unscripted series including Beach Hunters (HGTV), Mountain Men (History), E! True Hollywood Story(E!), Disrupt & Dismantle and The Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo) just to name a few.
Laura Cox | Digital Producer
Laura Cox is a producer and skillful communicator with over 20 years experience creating engaging digital content. As a result, she has a deep understanding of how to use technology to engage, connect, and create community. She translates ideas into action, so the favorite part of her work is connecting with teams - both internal and external - to find creative solutions to media challenges. She's happiest when her work aligns with her passion for making the world a better, healthier place.
I think in the next five years, we will have something that will make a significant difference. Can you imagine how impactful that will be?
-Dr. Catherine Mummery, University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust