Hope For Alzheimer's Vaccine
Alzheimer's is one of the diseases that scares me the most. I absolutely hate the idea of losing my memory and being completely unable to function -- or even remember who my family and friends are. That's why I was thrilled to read about an upcoming Alzheimer's vaccine.
A revolutionary drug that stops Alzheimer's disease in its tracks could be available within a few years.
It could prevent people from reaching the devastating final stages of the illness, in which sufferers lose the ability to walk, talk and even swallow, and end up totally dependent on others.
The jab, which is now being tested on patients, could be in widespread use in as little as six years.
Existing drugs can delay the progress of the symptoms, but their effect wears off relatively quickly, allowing the disease to take its devastating course. In contrast, the new vaccine may be able to hold the disease at bay indefinitely.
Early tests showed the vaccine is highly effective at breaking up the sticky protein that clogs the brain in Alzheimer's, destroying vital connections between brain cells.
When the jab was given to mice suffering from a disease similar to Alzheimer's, 80 per cent of the patches of amyloid protein were broken up.
If this pans out, it would be absolutely fantastic news.
This entry was tagged. Good News Innovation