Have scientists discovered a cure for Alzheimer's?

[DogPoundPup]

Source: The Independent UK

A hundred years after Alzheimer's disease was discovered, a cure for the degenerative condition that strips sufferers of their memory and personality remains a dream. The main advances have been in drugs to control symptoms such as agitation and restlessness. Restoring memory and cognitive ability has proved much harder.

That is why the publication last week of research showing that an old Russian drug once prescribed for hay fever may be the most effective treatment yet for the devastating condition has captured the attention of scientists and patients' groups.

A single 20mg pill of the drug, called Dimebon, taken three times a day, appears to be twice as effective in improving cognitive performance and preventing deterioration in memory as existing drugs.

The discovery was greeted by charities as perhaps the most exciting development in treatment of the disease. Existing drugs – cholinesterase inhibitors such as Aricept – have limited effects and were introduced over a decade ago.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/have-scientists-discovered-a-cure-for-alzheimers-873649.html

[BlooInBloo]

1. What a stupid fucking headline given the first fucking sentence.

[Posteritatis]

2. Agreed. Got us both to look, though. (nt)

[robinlynne]

3. NO. and NO.

My mother has Alzheimers, and my stepfather is a medical researcher, so these "miracle" drug articles make me cringe.

[mopinko]

25. and this publication cranks them out daily.

these "seaweed will keep you alive forever" stories are posted here at least weekly.

[El Supremo]

4. My Mother died of it 30 days ago. So even if it would work,...

like this misleading headline says, go to hell Independent UK!

[justaregularperson]

5. Probably cost pennies in the USSR. Wanna bet they sell it for $$$$ if it is proven effective?

[tucsonlib]

6. A Treatment is Not a Cure

Western medicine hasn't discovered ANY cures for ANY diseases since the 1930s, when penicillin and related antibiotics were found to cure certain bacteria-caused illnesses. Occasionally a vaccine is found that prevents a disease, but that's no help at all for those already afflicted. And there are loads of drugs for treating symptoms. But cures? Sorry, ain't gonna happen.

[Ian David]

9. You can cure Athlete's Foot. n/t

[tucsonlib]

11. Good Point

Yes, there are chemicals that will kill the fungus responsible for athlete's foot. I stand corrected. Of course, my point still holds true for cancer, heart disease, MS, MD, Alzheimer's, influenza, etc.

[JeanGrey]

19. People are cured of cancer.

[tucsonlib]

29. Yes, but....

Occasionally aggressive treatment will kill tumors. But there is no cancer "cure".

[panzerfaust]

31. MANY cancers CAN be cured

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=5191

But it is true that there in no one "cure" for all, or even most, cancers. Still it is not an automatic death sentence.

[JeanGrey]

33. Of course there is. Look at breast cancer. It used to be a

death sentence and now the majority of people are cured of it. Same with many cancers. It depends usually on when it is found. With the exception of lung cancer which is practically ignored in this country even though it kills more than the other cancers combined.

[Lorien]

20. Killing fungus or bacteria isn't the same as curing a disease

I agree with you initial statement; they've never cured a significant disease. I don't know if we as a species are incapable of it or if it's a matter of the profitability of creating treatments for an illness that don't result in a cure.

[crikkett]

24. a woman was recently cured of heart disease

she was fitted with a pacemaker while waiting for a transplant, and her heart repaired itself!!

Amazing to read about. Of course now I can't find a link--- :mad:

FWIW I saw the article posted here on DU within the last year.

[mopinko]

26. that is just not true.

i think you are talking about drugs, which can and do cure many cancers. but there are also surgical techniques which cure many things, and imaging and testing that allow for the prevention of many serious conditions.
your blanket skeptical view is quite unfounded.

[Doctor_J]

7. Quck! There's still time to get McSame well for the campaign!

Or not

[Javaman]

8. and now be prepared for the price...

what was once a cheap, no doubt over the counter hay fever med, will now be the new super improved brain healing med at $1000 bucks a pill. Wait for it.

[MannyGoldstein]

12. Generics Should Be Available

Drug companies will also come up with slightly-altered proprietary versions, but it will take at least 3-5 years.

[salguine]

10. And it'll only be $2,655 a pill.

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Regular Ibuprofen Use Cuts Alzheimer's Incidence In Half

Been shown over and over, but there's no publicity because there's no serious money to be made.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

15. Yeah, that's why you never, ever see commercials for Advil.

There's no money to be made.

[Lorien]

23. I've never seen an ad for Advil that touted it as a possible

Alzheimer's preventative. Maybe there haven't been enough studies, or maybe the same corporation that owns Advil also produces Alzheimer's drugs. :shrug:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

32. Or maybe it's the fact that overuse of ibuprofen can cause kidney damage.

As for the other "treatments" for Alzheimer's currently available, they barely even work in half of patients, and in many cases the effects are short-lived, or outweighed by the side-effects. There is no big money-making racket in Alzheimer's drugs.

[JeanGrey]

34. It can also cause liver damage.

[dipsydoodle]

14. Already freshly trade marked ?

according to this article :

Medivation Announces Positive Top-Line Results From Phase 2 Dimebon Study In Huntington's Disease.

Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) announced top-line results of a Phase 2 study showing that its investigational drug Dimebon™ significantly improved cognitive function in patients with mild-to-moderate Huntington's disease (HD). Cognitive function was significantly improved over placebo (p=0.03) as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the cognition scale most widely used by clinicians to assess patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Dimebon-treated patients also demonstrated favorable results on the behavioral component of the United Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS), a composite scale measuring several components of HD, but these results did not reach statistical significance.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114177.php

Odd that consdiring it was just an old anti histamine which fell into disuse when better alternatives became available.

edit - I've realised it's a new name for a drug containing an much earlier ingredient.

[Stuart G]

16. If this really works...then fuck the copyright laws..

Let's get the generic out as quickly as possible for world consumption..

[Stuart G]

17. If the Repuks can screw the Constitution..well then...

we can screw the copyright laws.

[dipsydoodle]

18. They've already done that on the name

but obviously can't do so on the original component ingredient / drug.

Having said that I guess anything is possible given that an American company managed to trademark Havanna cigars following a period during which none could be imported from Cuba. x(

[raccoon]

21. Off to Greatest! This is a horrible disease, as anyone who's ever had a loved one

or close friend with Alzheimer's can attest.

Also, if a close relative had it, one's chances of developing it are high. :scared:

[cascadiance]

27. Yes, my grandfather had it, and my father has it now...

That's the sad thing about our medical care insurance these days in America. I'm hesitant about getting genetically tested for it, as it might show I'm doomed (shades of "Gattaca"...). Then I'd have very little luck getting any kind of decent medical care coverage with my "preexisting condition"... I just try and eat a lot of blueberries with cereal each day! Better at this point until we get universal health care for conditions like this to stay "ignorant". Sadly though, many like me that do this might not have the necessary work done in advance to take advantage of any treatments that might come out later for this that require quick action to benefit from them.

At least I don't believe we have much cancer in either my Dad's or Mom's families. As much as he smoked earlier, I'm amazed more that he hadn't gotten lung cancer instead.

[olddad56]

22. I can't remember, have they?

[tannybogus]

28. Enbrel May Help Treat Alzheimer's

This isn't a cure and there needs to be more research. However, if I show signs of Alzheimer's

I sure will ask to try it.

July 21, 2008 -- A drug commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other immune-based conditions may also be effective at targeting language-related Alzheimer's disease problems.

Disruption of language abilities, such as difficulty finding words to express thoughts, is a common symptom of Alzheimer's disease.

A new study shows people with Alzheimer's disease experienced rapid improvement in language abilities after treatment with Enbrel (etanercept). In fact, researchers videotaped noticeable language skill improvements in Alzheimer's patients within minutes after receiving the drug.

The small, phase two clinical trial involved only 12 people with mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer's disease, but researchers say the results merit further study in phase three clinical trials.

http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20080721/enbrel-may-help-treat-alzheimers?src=RSS_PUBLIC

[panzerfaust]

30. yeah, but they forgot where they ...

(Note for PC Police: This is called "A joke" (qv). And don't bother, my dad died with horrible Alz, and I'm at risk - not that I would not otherwise be free to joke about it: It is only the things you cannot joke about that harm your soul.)