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Articles on Beta-amyloid

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Researchers are zeroing in on understanding what goes awry in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Tek Image/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Alzheimer’s disease is partly genetic − studying the genes that delay decline in some may lead to treatments for all

Despite decades of starts and stops, new treatments and key genetic discoveries are giving researchers great hope for slowing or eventually preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is an incapacitating, progressive brain disorder that affects the lives of more than 6.5 million Americans. PamelaJoeMcFarlane/E+ via Getty Images

What the FDA’s accelerated approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug could mean for those with the disease – 5 questions answered about lecanemab

In clinical trials, lecanemab slowed disease progression by 27% and reduced the amount of plaque found in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease.
Lecanemab is an antibody that attaches to beta-amyloid proteins accumulated in the brain and allows the immune system to get rid of them. (Shutterstock)

Lecanemab: Experimental drug is a ray of hope for Alzheimer’s disease

An 18-month treatment with lecanemab slows functional and cognitive loss by 27 per cent in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease. But this is only the first step towards a real cure.
Do the benefits of approving a drug before confirming it works outweigh the potential costs? monkeybusinessimages/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The FDA’s big gamble on the new Alzheimer’s drug

The FDA approved Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab despite minimal evidence of its efficacy. Whether this decision ultimately hurts or helps patients depends on data researchers don’t yet have.
Currently, the only approved drugs for Alzheimer’s merely alleviate some of the symptoms — partially and temporarily — but do not stop the disease from progressing. (Shutterstock)

Why don’t we have a cure for Alzheimer’s disease?

It was first officially described 115 years ago, but we still do not have a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The human brain is extremely complex, and Alzheimer’s is its most complex disease.

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