There Is A Vaccine Being Tested For Alzheimer’s Disease. Here Is What You Need To Know.
The Alzheimer’s disease is a scary, scary thing. Not only does it rob people of their memories, their families, and their very existences, but there is NOT cure — which is, perhaps, the most scary part.
For YEARS, doctors and researchers have been working on finding some sort of cure — ANYTHING that will stave off the inevitable of our loved ones slipping away into a forgetful abyss.
Now, MAYBE, hope is on the horizon. There is a small study in the works, and researchers have found positive results from a vaccine that is now entering phase III of clinical trials.
This do NOT mean that this vaccine is ready for the general public. There is still much testing to do, but it sure gives us HOPE.
According to the reports in Bloomberg:
Previously unreported results from a small, recent United clinical trial show that 96 percent of patients responded, without serious side effects, to the Alzheimer’s vaccine the company calls UB-311. The patients demonstrated improved brain function and showed a reduction in the protein plaque gumming up their neurons, the company’s report says.
“We are doing better than the placebo on all these things,” says Chief Executive Officer Mei Mei Hu. “We can’t make any claims yet, but we’re pointing in all the right directions.”
Bloomberg
It is not known what causes Alzheimer’s Disease. There have been umpteen theories, but they are just that — THEORIES.
So basically, researchers now believe that there is a protein made of beta amyloids that gums up the works — so to speak — in the brains of those with Alzheimers. In very non-scientific terms, it causes the neurons in the brain to misfire in very bad ways.
They are hoping — and are having positive results in some patients — this vaccine will help clear the pathways of those beta amyloid plaques (the sticky protein) in the brain.
*Fingers crossed, Apple Sauce* Please let this work!
If you THINK you or a loved one *might* be in the beginning phases of Alzheimer’s Disease, it is best to get tested by a neurologist. There are some medications available that may slow the progression of symptoms. It is, by no mean, a cure — but, at least it’s SOMETHING right now.
Symptoms of early Alzheimer’s Disease include — but are NOT limited to: repeatedly asking the same questions over and over, misplacing personal belongings, forgetting appointments or events, poor decision making, difficulties in coming up with commonly used words, mood changes that are out of the ordinary, and difficulty with reading.
Don’t freak out yet. We all experience forgetfulness from time-to-time. Just watch for patterns, and seek medical help.
AND, hopefully this vaccine is the beginning of a cure for the terrible disease that is Alzheimers in our lifetime!
There is no great way to segue this, but you may also want to ask your doctor if you need a new MEASLES VACCINE. If you were born before 1990, your doctor may need to run a titer test on you to insure the vaccine is still active in your system.
