Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding how to delay Alzheimer’s symptoms, according to new findings published in the journal Lancet Neurology. A study involving 22 participants with a rare genetic mutation that guarantees they will develop symptoms at the same age as their affected relatives found that long-term amyloid-removing treatments cut their risk of symptom onset in half.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Randall Bateman, hopes to determine how strong the protection is over the next five years and whether participants will ever get Alzheimer’s disease if they continue treatment. However, funding for the study has been delayed due to Trump administration restrictions, leaving many worried that politics could cut off access to a possible lifeline.
The experimental treatment appears to be effective in removing amyloid from the brain, which is believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid buildup triggers a protein named tau to kill neurons, leading to cognitive decline. Tau-fighting drugs are now being tested, and researchers are also studying other factors such as inflammation and certain viruses.
The study’s findings offer hope for families with Alzheimer’s-causing genes who are at risk of developing symptoms at a young age. Participants in the study have been switched from an earlier experimental drug to Leqembi, an IV treatment approved in the US, to try to answer the next question: what is the strength of protection offered by long-term amyloid removal?
Source: https://apnews.com/article/alzheimers-treatment-prevention-amyloid-trump-0e824790486e06bcfbd5711df4abf0ba