A cure could look similar to current treatments for AIDS and cancer.
It’s World Alzheimer’s Month and across the globe organizations are striving to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that can surround dementia.
For many people, the idea that you become more forgetful as you age is a natural thing. But there is a difference between misplacing your keys and truly losing your mind. It’s not a given that everyone will experience dementia.
Where do we stand when it comes to research?
A “cure” for Alzheimer’s and other dementias could be far off. That being said, scientists are continually making discoveries that bring us closer to understanding exactly what happens in the brain when it stops working as it should.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are currently 5 drugs approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that are approved to treat Alzheimer’s.
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The drugs work by temporarily helping memory and thinking problems. Others aim to slow the progression of dementia in patients involved in the early stages of the disease. Nothing, presently, can stop it in its tracks.
Researchers say they feel a truly successful treatment for Alzheimer’s will be somewhat similar to current treatments for AIDS and some cancers. This is indeed good news, as some people now live with AIDS for many years and flourish, and others successfully eliminate cancer from their body.
The treatment would involve a combination of medications aimed at several targets. This is where research and development is currently being done.
For more on Alzheimer’s and dealing with this difficult disease, click here.
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