Diagnosis and treatments
ment in older adults increases the risk of developing dementia, and impairment in both senses further increases the odds.
Solution: Regular testing for changes in hearing and vision. Willa D. Brenowitz, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, said some forms of hearing and vision loss can be treated or corrected, which could allow for intervention and reduce the risk for dementia.
There is no cure Alzheimer’s disease.
Gibson, who attended the conference, said most clinical trials for new drugs and therapies are aimed at preventing or slowing the progression of the disease, rather than for treating or curing it in late stages. “That’s why it’s important to catch cognitive decline early, and start managing it,” he said.
At this year’s conference, scientists submitted 229 abstracts that describe or provide results from Alzheimer’s clinical trials or studies. Seven researchers from Florida presented their findings.
A few highlighted therapies show significant promise. for
Diagnosis: Scientists are closer to a blood test for Alzheimer’s. The availability of such as test could help with a diagnosis earlier in the disease process, allowing for improved and earlier care and planning. It could also help test the effect of therapies in clinical trials.
Treatments: Anti-amyloid drugs that target plaque in the brain have not proved effective. Clinical trials are underway for new, more innovative treatments. Hundreds of drugs are in trial stages, including some intended for other illnesses.
An intranasal device that delivers insulin into the central nervous system led to benefits for memory and thinking in a small study of 289 people. A larger study is now under way.
Anti-inflammatory drugs already in existence — intended for asthma or cancer — may target brain inflammation before plaque builds. Researchers have found that in some studies, targeting brain inflammation killed the bulk of the nerve cells that led to dementia. A 600-patient trial is under way with results expected within the next year.