The Elusive Alzheimer’s Cure

Alzheimer’s is a disease affecting roughly 4 million Americans, and there is no known cure at this point. With the baby boomers aging, over the next couple of decades the number of sufferers and the cost of their care is projected to quadruple.

What is encouraging, though, is that more and more research is being conducted to find an Alzheimer’s cure as well as to come up with preventative measures and more effective treatment to help those dealing with this terrible disease. Progress is being made, but in terms of a cure, there is still a long road ahead. While new treatments have helped some patients feel less confused and not as agitated, no discovery has been made that can stop the progressive deterioration associated with the disease. A world without Alzheimer’s is still just a dream.


The importance of research

Research is the key to finding an Alzheimer’s cure. Scientists continue to explore many new avenues, from finding ways to attack plaque build-up in the brain, which causes brain fibers to become entangled. Studies have to be conducted with care, and oftentimes they have to be aborted if unwanted side effects occur. This is exactly what happened during a clinical trial of an anti-plaque vaccine – one in twenty subjects developed life-threatening swelling in their brains. So even when new treatments look positive, unwanted side effects can slow the process of finding a cure down.

Nevertheless, research has led to a greater understanding of the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease and assisted scientists in developing new medicines and treatments. Even if drugs don’t provide an Alzheimer’s cure, drug companies are racing to find new treatments that could delay the beginning of the disease by several years. Even this would greatly reduce the number of Alzheimer victims.

New, powerful drugs are being developed to both help memory loss and prevent the plaque deposits that form on brain cells. Some of these drugs are being used in clinical trials in Europe right now. All of the big companies are working hard to find solutions, with the goal of eventually discovering the Alzheimer’s cure.


Stopping Alzheimer’s before it starts

In the end, the best Alzheimer’s cure might be preventing it altogether in the first place. So a substantial part of Alzheimer’s research is devoted to studying ways to ensure that fewer and fewer people are stricken with the disease. Early detection tests are being developed, and ongoing studies are conducted to determine what kind of an effect an aggressive supplement program might have on the brain’s health. Other preventative measures include staying active, both mentally and physically, and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. So, while a total cure is still in the future, healthy habits can definitely make a difference.