Alzheimer's Cure Research

At present there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Once the disease develops, treatment only slows its progression. By understanding the causes of the disease, lifestyles changes can be made to reduce the risk of developing AD. The diagnosis and treatment of this disease has improved greatly in recent years, and many scientists are convinced that the next 10 years will bring even better treatments and possibly a cure for those just diagnosed with the disease.

Alzheimer's Disease

• Alzheimer's Disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that over time destroys a person's memory and ability to think. As the disease progresses, even everyday tasks are impossible. Over 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and 35 million people worldwide have this mind-robbing disease.

Causes of Alzheimer's Disease

• The initial cause of Alzheimer's disease is still unknown, but damage to the brain starts many years before any symptoms appear. According to the Alzheimer's Association, abnormal structures called plaques and tangles develop deep inside the brain, degrading and killing nerve cells. The damage spreads throughout the brain, especially in an area called the hippocampus. This part of the brain is like a file cabinet for new memories. When it is damaged, new memories are lost. As Alzheimer's progresses, more parts of the brain are invaded by plaques and tangles. These affected areas shrink and become non-functional. In the final stage of AD, damage to brain tissue is severe.

Present Treatment

• Some drugs are available that help improve the mental action of people with Alzheimer's disease. Mental and physical exercise, eating right, socializing and eliminating unhealthy habits go along way in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's. A tranquil, orderly setting also helps those with AD. Certain supplements seem to help some people with AD, including vitamins A, B, C, D and E. Also, tumeric and fish oil show some promise in the fight against the disease.

Drug Therapies

• Aricept is the most commonly used medication for Alzheimer's disease. This drug works by stopping cholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine helps one part of the brain communicate with another part. This action keeps the brain intact longer. Aricept is the only drug acknowledged by the Food and Drug Administation for all stages of AD. Eventually this drug is not effective in the progression of AD. Also, this drug has side effects intolerable to some individuals such as trouble sleeping, stomach discomfort, muscle cramps and fatigue. Cognex, is similar to Aricept as a cholinesterase blocker, but it has more serious side effects, including abdominal pain, vomiting and liver damage.

  Exelon and Razadyne are newer drugs that stop the breakdown of acetylcholine. The best results occur when they are taken in earlier stages of Alzheimer's. They also have side effects, including severe allergic reactions, depression, tremors and irregular heartbeat.

  Namenda is effective for some people with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's. Its action appears to restore function to damaged nerve cells. This drug only works for some individuals and has several unwanted side effects like increased agitation, severe fatigue, changes in eyesight and severe allergic reactions.

Finding a Cure

• From 1999 to 2009 scientists formulated new technologies that will speed up Alzheimer's research. The government and drug companies are putting money into research and new treatments are developed each year.

  On April 29, 2009, neuroscientists Frank LaFerla and Mathew Blurton-Jones received $3.6 million for the advancement of AD therapy employing human neural stem cells. Research into a vaccine for protection against Alzheimer's will be started again and researchers from Southampton University will be re-evaluating 80 participants in a trial of a vaccine. Initially the vaccine had some deadly side effects. Hormone replacement therapy also appears to have some promise in lowering the risk of developing AD. The results among oestrogen users in a cohort study of Paganini-Hill and Henderson showed that the relative risk of developing Alzheimer's decreased with increasing doses of this hormone.

  Research is also being done on diagnostic tests for the detection of Alzheimer's. Improving MRI and CT scans so they detect microscopic changes in the brain is the goal of this research. A Franco-European research group has recognized two issues associated with genetic tendency to Alzheimer's disease. Their research is still in the beginning stages but this finding will give hope to millions of Alzheimer's sufferers around the world. This research isolated two new genes that probably are linked to the disease.

Clinical Trials

• The Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials Database, sponsored by FDA and the National Institute on Aging, is kept up by the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center. This searchable database tracks clinical trials on AD and dementia in progress across the United States. There are more than 90 drugs in clinical trials for AD as of 2009. Before doctors prescribe any new drug or therapy, it must be thoroughly tested in people to find out whether it is effective and safe.