Preventive Treatment & Early Diagnosis for Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer's Disease slowly destroys someone's ability to reason, remember and communicate.

Research lead by Dr. Emma Kidd at Cardiff University Welsh School of Pharmacy in Wales United Kingdom, and funded by the Alzheimer's Society (United Kingdom care and research charity for Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia), discovered a preventive treatment for Alzheimer's disease, published in December 22, 2006, issue of Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Dr. Kidd and research team created an antibody which can block, prevent or decrease the production of protein called amyloid precursor, believed to be main cause of this disease. Deposits of amyloid build up in the brain, preventing it from functioning normally. This treatment should improve a patient's memory and quality of life. Dr. Kidd said: "We believe that our approach could lead in time to a new therapy for this distressing and depilating disease as it should prevent or reduce the irreversible deterioration of a patient's memory and other brain functions. Also, reduce the burden on caretakers, usually family members, who look after patients in the earlier stages of the disease. Researchers are seeking more funding for the next stage of testing and hope this type of treatment will be available within several years.

According to National Institute of Aging (NIA), Director Richard J. Hodes, MD, said: "Today, an estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and the number could triple by 2050 as the population ages. We urgently need techniques to see brain changes in the earliest stages of cognitive decline so that we can identify people at risk and test drugs to stop or slow the progression of Alzheimer's."