Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that affects memory and thinking skills, and it’s the most common reason older people experience a decline in these areas.
Until recently, doctors mostly focused on easing the symptoms, like forgetfulness or confusion. But now, there’s a new treatment that actually tackles the root cause of the disease.
However, this treatment isn’t perfect. A recent study points out that it can cause certain issues, detectable only through brain scans. Here’s what you should know.
The New Game-Changer: Antibody Treatments
Imagine the brain as a garden, where flowers represent healthy brain cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, weeds (harmful protein called amyloid-beta) grow out of control and smother the flowers.
The new treatments, known as antibody therapies, are like a strong weed killer. They go right to the source and get rid of these harmful proteins, allowing the garden to breathe again.
One such weed killer for Alzheimer’s is a medicine called aducanumab, and it has been greenlit by the U.S. health authorities.
Doctors are excited about this because it’s the first time we have something that doesn’t just trim the weeds but actually removes them.
This is a significant step because, until now, all we had were medicines that made life a little easier for people suffering from Alzheimer’s but didn’t stop the disease from getting worse.
A Side Effect to Watch Out For: ARIA
However, every medicine has its pros and cons. The same study that’s praising this new treatment is also waving a little red flag.
Doctors have found that some people experience a condition called ARIA after getting the new treatment. In simple terms, ARIA is like a short-term storm in the brain, causing minor flooding and even some bleeding.
Most people don’t feel any different and continue to go about their day, unaware that anything is amiss. But these storms show up on special brain scans.
Two types of ARIA have been identified: one causes swelling (ARIA-E) and the other causes bleeding (ARIA-H). ARIA-E is more common and usually goes away on its own.
It’s most likely to happen within the first nine months of treatment. ARIA-H is less common but more concerning because it doesn’t go away and can lead to the treatment being stopped permanently.
It’s important for doctors to keep an eye on these side effects. That means if you or a loved one is getting this treatment, you’ll have to get regular brain scans.
What This Means for Future Alzheimer’s Treatment
So, what’s next? More studies are needed to understand this better. But one thing is clear: these antibody treatments are a big leap forward in Alzheimer’s care.
It’s also clear that doctors need to work closely with radiologists, the professionals who read brain scans, to monitor patients undergoing these new treatments.
If ARIA does occur, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the road. Many patients continue the treatment, sometimes with a short break, especially if they have the less severe form of ARIA.
The key is to keep a close eye on the brain through imaging tests like MRI scans.
Overall, this is good news with a cautionary note. For the first time, we have a treatment that attacks the root cause of Alzheimer’s.
But like all new frontiers, it comes with its own set of challenges that we need to navigate carefully.
So, if you’re considering this new treatment for yourself or a loved one, make sure you discuss the potential side effects with your doctor and understand the need for regular monitoring.
The path to a cure for Alzheimer’s is looking more promising, but it’s always good to tread carefully.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease and new non-drug treatment that could help prevent Alzheimer’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about diet that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, and results showing some dementia cases could be prevented by changing these 12 things.
The study was published in RadioGraphics.
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