Posted on 07/08/2014 11:00:07 AM PDT by Red Badger
Scientists at Oxford University and Kings College London develop blood test which can predict the onset of Alzheimer's so that drugs could target the disease before symptoms appear
A blood test has been developed to predict if someone will develop Alzheimer’s within a year, raising hopes that the disease could become preventable.
After a decade of research, scientists at Oxford University and King’s College London are confident they have found 10 proteins which show the disease is imminent.
Clinical trials will start on people who have not yet developed Alzheimer’s to find out which drugs halt its onset.
The blood test, which could be available in as little as two years, was described as a “major step forward” by Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, and by charities which said it could revolutionise research into a cure.
“Although we are making drugs they are all failing. But if we could treat people earlier it may be that the drugs are effective,” said Simon Lovestone, professor of translational neuroscience at Oxford. “Alzheimer’s begins to affect the brain many years before patients are diagnosed with the disease. If we could treat the disease in that phase we would in effect have a preventative strategy.”
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
But until a cure is found, we’ll just fit them with a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ stamp on their Medic Alert Bracelet and make it a Federal offense to be caught without it.
And the penalty for not wearing it? Death, of course.
Needed sooner.
Yes. Why does a test take two years to bring to market. It's not a treatment so it's not going to harm anyone.
I keep reading about Extra Virgin Coconut oil for this
“We’ve lost the results of your test but have decided to drop you from health insurance coverage...”
There is some reason but nobody can remember it.
Also Folic Acid. I believe there is either a Swiss or Swedish study on that.
Of course they are. The body's response to what ever is causing Alheimers is to send beta-amyloid to the brain. The drug companies are working on hindering the beta-amyloid response rather than the real cause. This is like hindering white blood cells to battle infection.
In a separate study, scientists injected beta-amyloid into mice with MS. Within a week, the mice were cured of MS.
They do not “fail” — they work, but only weakly. They slow down the disease.
As you say, they slow down the progression of the disease but don’t stop it. As I posted to someone yesterday, my mother seems to be one of the lucky ones who actually sees an improvement in her cognitive skills while on Namenda and Exelon. So maybe the drugs temporarily reversed the last year of deterioration.
It appears that the USA isn’t doing as much as the UK in the Alzheimer’s research. Our scientists have been”persuaded” to try to find a cure for AIDS so the fudge-packers can continue with their alternative lifestyles.
Meanwhile, 50% of those over 80 will develop Alzheimer’s.
I have a buddy whose Mom has Alzheimer's. About 3 yrs ago she was at the stage of repeating a question several times a day. I referred him to an article about Coconut oil and Cur-cumin. He started giving her these in her food. She stopped asking the same question over and over. She is worse now, of course, since it's 3 yrs later but the progression seemed to slow quite a bit.
I give my mom curcumin also.
That actually isn't true. Some large number eventually will develop dementia, of which some unknown percentage will have Alzheimers. Not enough autopsies are performed to know what subset suffered from Alzheimers. Age-related deterioration is not necessarily Alzheimers.
My Grandmother had Alzheimer’s for the last ten years of her long (98) life.
My Dad was displaying symptoms of Alzheimer’s before he passed away.
I have determined to keep my mind ACTIVE and BUSY during every waking hour. No “zoning out” with television for me. I read everything I can get my hands on, I play solitaire on the computer constantly.
If there’s anything I can do to prevent the onset of this God-forsaken disease, I’m going to do it.
(FreeRepublic is a great help, by the way. Donate monthly.)
Sudoku..............try it!.............it’s great for keeping your mind working in logical order!................
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku
You can get Sudoku apps for your smartphone, computer and I have a Sudoku handheld machine the size of a smartphone that has endless puzzles of differing levels of difficulty....................
Thank you! I will definitely give it a try!!! My wife loves it; will ask her for instructions.
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