By Ethelle G. Lord, M.Ed.,DM
Alzheimer's Information - with 2013 now nothing
more than a memory, Alzheimer's researchers and clinical practitioners have set
their sights on a productive 2014. Moreover, they do so with plenty of
optimism. This year could be a breakthrough year for discoveries relating to
Alzheimer's causes and prevention.
As a service to our
readers, we constantly scour all of the Alzheimer's news on the horizon for any
information we believe you might find useful. In light of that, and the
optimism for the coming year, there are three developments we want to make you
aware of:
1. G8
Participation
Finding a cure for
Alzheimer's disease was on the agenda of the December meeting of G8 health
ministers. The London meeting resulted in commitments from the G8 countries to
combine resources in an ambitious effort to find a cure or a method of
prevention no later than 2025. In the immediate future, that means G8 countries
getting together to craft what they call a 'coordinated international research
action plan'.
The plan includes
providing open access to all international, publicly funded research data
available at any given time. The data sharing strategy is a first for medical
research among G8 countries, and one they hope will further advance Alzheimer's
research. The greater the access to research data is, the better able
international researchers are to assist one another in moving forward.
2.
Brain Imaging
In an attempt to detect
the onset of Alzheimer's disease as early as possible, there were a number of
efforts in 2013 to harness brain-imaging technology capable of identifying even
the smallest changes in brain cell structure. A number of these efforts proved
successful to one extent or another. That success has led researchers to put
brain imaging at the forefront of early detection research for 2014.
Helping their cause was
an October decision by the FDA to approve a brand-new radioactive drug for use
in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. PET imaging shows great promise
for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease.
3.
Clinical Trials
Lastly, the Alzheimer's
Disease Cooperative Study at UC San Diego reports that there are more clinical
trials scheduled for 2014 than ever before. Three of those trials are
specifically aimed at drugs that might be able to stop the progression of
Alzheimer's disease if detected early enough. The Cooperative says a number of
the other drugs are focused on preventing the disease altogether.
Medical trials of
Alzheimer's disease drugs have largely failed in the past. Unfortunately, no
one knows for certain why that is. However, the new trials are looking at other
angles that are just now beginning to be understood. It is an understatement to
say there is hope that many of the clinical trials conducted in 2014 will be
successful.
A Cure Will Come
Our purpose in giving you
these updates is not to present you with false hope. It is merely to encourage
you that research is ongoing around the world. Eventually we will find a cure
to Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, we encourage you to learn everything
you can about this debilitating condition and other forms of dementia as well.
The more you know, the better prepared you will be should someone in your
family be stricken with Alzheimer's.
Sources:
1. BBC News - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25318194
2. FDA - http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm372261.htm
3. UC San Diego - http://www.adcs.org/Blog/ADCSBlog.aspx
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