This episode of the Guide to AAIC series explores how to prepare and submit abstracts for the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. It covers the required structure, the types of abstracts accepted, the review process, and practical advice to strengthen your submission.
What This Episode Covers
How to structure an AAIC abstract:
Abstracts are limited to around three hundred and fifty words and must follow the background, method, results, conclusion format. The episode explains what to include in each section and how to keep the content focused and clear so that reviewers can quickly see the value of your work.
Types of abstracts:
AAIC accepts three categories
- Original abstracts which present new data not shared previously
- Update abstracts which build on earlier work or publications
- Encore abstracts which have been fully published or presented elsewhere and therefore are not included in the journal output after AAIC
Choosing your theme:
Submissions are assigned to themes such as basic science and pathogenesis, biomarkers, clinical manifestations, drug development, public health, dementia care, or psychosocial factors. Your choice influences both reviewers and the scheduling of your presentation.
Writing an engaging title and sections:
The recording offers guidance on creating a concise and appealing title and shows how to shape the background, highlight what is not yet known, explain your methods clearly, focus your results, and offer a strong take home message in your conclusion.
Use of supporting files:
You can upload up to three files with tables or figures to strengthen your submission.
How abstracts are reviewed:
Peer reviewers assess the scientific interest and quality of the submission, the suitability of the methods, the clarity of the results, and the strength of the conclusions. They also check that the submission is not commercial in nature. Scores determine whether an abstract is rejected, selected for a poster, or selected for a podium talk.
Role of the Scientific Programme Committee:
The committee considers reviewer scores and draws on their own expertise to place abstracts into appropriate sessions. They aim for balance across scientific focus, viewpoints, and representation within the programme.
Final advice to submitters:
The episode encourages authors to involve colleagues and coauthors early, confirm accurate credit, and make good use of the extended deadline available to ISTAART members.
Key Takeaways
- Follow the standard AAIC structure and keep each section focused
- Make full use of the opportunity to upload supporting figures or tables
- Always include results even if they are preliminary
- Ensure that your title and theme selection help the right audience find your work
- Seek feedback from your team before submitting
- Remember the extended submission window for ISTAART members
You can submit your abstracts for AAIC 2026 now – https://aaic.alz.org/abstracts/overview.asp
Dementia Researcher
