Still no cure for Alzheimer’s
Despite expectations that this would be the year in which the first disease modifying drug to treat Alzheimer’s would reach the market, that has not been the case. Just recently two widely anticipated drugs to treat Alzheimer’s failed clinical trials. That is according to the L.A. Times.
The leading theory on Alzheimer’s is that it is caused by the sticky protein, amyloid beta. This protein clumps together in the brain and form plaque that kills brain cells. With the failure of the latest drugs, it will be interesting to see if this theory continues to dominate research efforts.
At the same that efforts to find a cure are taking a setback, technology to detect Alzheimer’s is advancing rapidly. But there is no way to halt or reverse the disease. The five medicines currently available treat symptoms disease such as confusion and memory problems and not the disease. And their effect on the lives of Alzheimer’s victims is so minor that many find that the drugs are not worth the cost and side effects.
Despite these setbacks, some researchers remain hopeful that a cure will be found.
