A Cure For Alzheimer’s?.
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Even though it afflicts more than 4.5 million Americans, Alzheimer’s became more of a high-profile disease after it became known that former President Ronald Reagan suffered from it.
The toll of the disease is expected to triple by 2050 as the nation’s population becomes older.
So it’s remarkably good medical news that scientists may have isolated the reason for Alzheimer’s. The lead suspect is a gooey protein called beta-amyloid. All brains contain it, although healthy brains somehow get rid of excess amounts. Scientists now believe that the molecular janitors that clean away the protein break down in some older patients, causing Alzheimer’s. They also suspect the "toxic aging" plays a role in other neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists are now trying to create drugs that will rid the brain of the excess amyloid. There is no projected cure date but the identification of the beta-amyloid buildup – and the proteins that clear it away in healthy brains – is a giant step forward in research.
Alzheimer’s is a particularly horrific disease, causing suffering and anguish not only to the patient, but to his or her relatives also. Watching a relative mentally degenerate is a wrenching experience.
Sadly, scientists will not find a cure within the next week, or the next year, but there is more hope today than there was last week.
The research shows again that it might be better for a culture to be acquainted with the names of scientists who improve the quality of life, rather than brainless celebrities, who tend to degrade it.
The toll of the disease is expected to triple by 2050 as the nation’s population becomes older.
So it’s remarkably good medical news that scientists may have isolated the reason for Alzheimer’s. The lead suspect is a gooey protein called beta-amyloid. All brains contain it, although healthy brains somehow get rid of excess amounts. Scientists now believe that the molecular janitors that clean away the protein break down in some older patients, causing Alzheimer’s. They also suspect the "toxic aging" plays a role in other neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists are now trying to create drugs that will rid the brain of the excess amyloid. There is no projected cure date but the identification of the beta-amyloid buildup – and the proteins that clear it away in healthy brains – is a giant step forward in research.
Alzheimer’s is a particularly horrific disease, causing suffering and anguish not only to the patient, but to his or her relatives also. Watching a relative mentally degenerate is a wrenching experience.
Sadly, scientists will not find a cure within the next week, or the next year, but there is more hope today than there was last week.
The research shows again that it might be better for a culture to be acquainted with the names of scientists who improve the quality of life, rather than brainless celebrities, who tend to degrade it.
posted by Valery Yermalitsky at
5:44 AM
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