Alzheimer's disease has long plagued elderly people, especially those who are 65 years old and above; as it is for this age group where the notorious brain disorder is common.
Characterized by gradual or sudden memory loss, there is no known cure or vaccine against Alzheimer's disease.
However, various researchers are on the clock to develop one.
In recent studies, the possibility of a cure for Alzheimer's disease is coming into fruition due to a potentially safe, efficient nasal vaccine developed 20 years in the making.
With a breakthrough last year, scientists are already beginning the vaccine clinical trials for humans as of Monday, May 10.
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
In reference to a previous study published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules in January 2021, 40 million people are living with dementia worldwide and it has been described as a group of symptoms affecting brain neurons and causing some mental disorders such as memory loss.
In addition, the study says Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common causes of dementia and has been a major concern of the medical industry globally.
The cause of the disease is not widely understood yet, but the researchers of this study believe that it is triggered by the aggregation of amyloid-beta (AB) located outside of neuron cells and tau aggregation or neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs).
Projected US Cases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 5.8 million Americans were suffering from Alzheimer's disease back in 2020 alone, and projected the figure will almost triple to 14 million by the year 2060.
Less common among young people, the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can manifest after the age of 60, and the severity increases as the year go by due to the nature of the progressive disease.
In addition to memory loss, the neurologic disorder also affects the parts of the brain that controls thought and language.
To substantiate the findings of the 2021 study, the CDC also added family history as a potential factor for the development of the neurologic disease, with age currently being the best-known risk factor.
Human Clinical Trials
On Monday, the scientific network site Labroots.com reported human clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease vaccines are currently beginning with the hope of either mitigating or stopping dementia and other symptoms.
The trial involved 16 human participants who have been diagnosed to have the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
The trial is in line with the press release of the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, regarding a vaccine nasal spray trial back in November 2021, where clinical experimentations have continued since then.
Last week, WCVB, a Boston-based local television station, reported that the patients in the current trial are still being monitored for six months after the Alzheimer's disease nasal vaccines were administered to the subjects in December 2021.
The final results of the human clinical trials for the Alzheimer's vaccine are not yet made available, but it is expected to be released in the coming months or next year.
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