Studies offer hope for slowing Alzheimer's progression
Some experimental therapies may slow the mental confusion or help improve daily functioning in Alzheimer's patients, according to new studies presented during the first-ever Alzheimer's Association conference on dementia earlier this month.
One study of 207 people with Alzheimer's disease highlighted the use of an experimental version of a pain drug called R-flurbiprofen. British researchers found that after a year, 29 of 48 mild disease patients who had the highest levels of the drug in their bloodstream showed significant improvement in their ability to carry out daily tasks.Marc Weksler of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University also reported that immunoglobin (IVIg), which contains human antibodies seemed to boost thinking ability in a study of eight Alzheimer's patients.
In a third study, an insulin nasal spray was tested as a memory booster. It was found to help people with memory problems recall passages from a story, according to the researcher Suzanne Craft of the University of Washington and the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Medical Center.
