New drug ‘stops brain cells dying’

A new drug for Alzheimer’s disease has been shown to slow cognitive decline and neurodegeneration — loss of brain cells.

A year-long trial involving 166 dementia patients compared multiple doses of the new drug — known as aducanumab — with a placebo.

It also found that longer treatment and higher doses of the drug led to greater reductions in amyloid plaque (build-up of this protein in the brain is linked to the disease). However, higher doses also meant more side-effects.

A larger trial of the drug is due to start later this year.

neurologists remain cautious about the prospect of new Alzheimer’s drugs as many have failed to repeat the same success in larger trials.