The Spectrum of Alzheimer’s
A recent study, undertaken by a Re:Cognition Health USA Principal Investigator Dr R. Scott Turner, confirms that both Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia caused by Alzheimer’s (AD) are rising.
With one person developing symptoms of dementia every 3 seconds, it is projected that without an effective treatment, 1 in 3 people born today will die with dementia, making it today’s biggest global socio-economic and healthcare crisis, ever. No global economy can afford to support this. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s is the only leading cause of death still on the rise ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Research is vital in order to find new treatments and stop this Alzheimer’s pandemic.
Whilst major risk factors such as ageing and genetics are non-modifiable, the study highlights the potentially modifiable risks such as diet, exercise and education.
New biomarkers confirm Alzheimer’s is not a disease of old age, but actually starts developing in the brain between one and two decades before the onset of symptoms. Finding the relevant biomarkers for Alzheimer’s, as early as possible, gives us the opportunity to slow the progression of AD and provide recommendations for lifestyle changes.
Dr Turner divides the Alzheimer’s spectrum into three stages:
- Preclinical AD: cognitive decline beyond normal ageing
- Prodromal AD: mild cognitive impairment
- AD: decline in cognition- dementia
With increasing understanding of evidence from biomarkers, scientists are developing new tools to help deliver an early and accurate diagnosis and potential new treatments. Alongside research into new drug treatments, studies into lifestyle interventions are also being carried out, which could be game-changing. Currently, all available treatments for Alzheimer’s target only the symptoms, there are currently no licensed medications to slow down or halt the progression of the disease, but with ongoing clinical trials, scientists are getting ever-closer to developing new treatments to achieve this.
To read the full article visit https://www.neurodiem.com/author/Turner-BMJ290mnrdEtL78jGAKog
To learn more about the opportunities in participating in a clinical trial to gain early access, now, to these new generation medications visit: https://recognitionhealth.com/volunteer/