DEMENTIA-BEATER DRUG BREAKTHROUGH BOOST
Hopes of treating disease raised
A DRUG which prevents dementia could soon be available after a breakthrough by scientists.
Experts have reversed a condition which causes blood vessels deep inside the brain to narrow, triggering neurological conditions, including strokes.
Cerebral small vessel disease destroys neurons by cutting off blood supply and is one of the most common causes of dementia and strokes in older people.
SVD is responsible for almost half of dementia cases in the UK and can worsen symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the major cause of dementia.
A team at Edinburgh University hope the breakthrough will lead to a treatment which slows down the debilitating effects of dementia – or even a cure.
The university’s Professor Anna Williams, said: “This important research helps us understand why SVD happens, providing a direct link between small blood vessels and changes in the brain that are linked to dementia.
“It also shows these changes may be reversible, which paves the way for potential treatments.”
Dr Sara Imarisio, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Changes to the blood supply in the brain play an important role in Alzheimer’s disease as well as being a direct cause of vascular dementia.
“The findings highlight a promising direction for research into treatments to limit the damaging effects of blood vessel changes and help keep nerve cells functioning for longer.” In Ireland, around 60,000 people live with dementia.
Dr Sara Imarisio