Alzheimer’s Disease: Are We Close to Finding a Cure？First described in 1906 by Dr.Alois

Alzheimer’s Disease: Are We Close to Finding a Cure？First described in 1906 by Dr.Alois

Alzheimer’s Disease: Are We Close to Finding a Cure？

First described in 1906 by Dr.Alois Alzheimer, Alzheimer s disease is the most common form. of dementia, accounting for around 60%–80% of cases.It is characterized by problems with memory, thinking and behavior.Onset is most common in individuals aged 65 and over, although people in their 40s and 50s can develop what is classed as early - onset Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning memory loss is mild in the beginning, but it worsens over time to the extent that individuals are unable to have conversations or respond to their surroundings.There are treatments that have been approved by the US

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Alzheimer’s.For example, cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine can help treat memory and thinking problems.But these drugs just help manage the symptoms; there is currently no cure for the disease.

Current Alzheimer’s prevalence in the US makes it the 6th leading cause of death, killing more than half a million seniors every year.To put this in perspective, Alzheimer’s disease currently kills more people each year than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined.There is no doubt that scientists across the world are working hard to find ways to prevent, treat and cure this debilitating condition.Hardly a day goes by without coming across a report about how scientists restored memory and learning deficits in Alzheimer’s mouse models, how vitamin D deficiency could increase the risk of developing dementia, and how DNA methylation in the brain is linked to Alzheimer’s.But what have these studies taught researchers about Alzheimer’s so far？

Preventing and Targeting Plaques and Tangles

As with all diseases, knowing exactly what causes Alzheimer’s is key to identifying ways to prevent and treat the condition.Past research has indicated that Alzheimer’s occurs when two abnormal brain structures — plaques and tangles —damage and kill nerve cells, causing the memory, thinking and behavioral problems associated wit

1.Dementia is not a single disease in itself, but a general term to describe symptoms of impairment in memory, communication, and thinking.()

2.The FDA - approved drugs, like cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, can cure Alzheimer’s disease.()

3.chronic sleep deprivation may cause these abnormal brain structures.()

4.Tangles are fragments of a protein called beta - amyloid, which build up in areas between nerve cells.()

5.As a result of Alzheimer’s research, there are an array of drugs in development that scientists believe have great potential to effectively treat the disease.()