In 20 years, 40% of the population will be 80+ years-old… We desperately need R&D now to prevent huge numbers of Alzheimer’s patients overwhelming our health care system. NOTE: Exercise and diet help delay the disease… Start NOW and help YOURSELF to live healthier longer… Your family will be so glad you did! 🙂
WSJ: “Earlier is better” has become a mantra in the field of Alzheimer’s disease. Experts are targeting the prevention or delay of memory decline more, instead of just focusing on treating patients who have the disease.
Results from one of the largest randomized prevention trial to date presented Sunday here at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference suggest why scientists are thinking this way. The trial found that intervention involving exercise, diet and other behavioral changes significantly improved overall cognitive functioning in patients after two years, compared with patients in a control group.
The trial, conducted in Finland and known as Finger, is only one of roughly 25 such studies under way, experts say. More are set to begin, examining different preventive strategies in cognitively normal people or those exhibiting mild memory problems who are at high risk for developing dementia.
Some focus on lifestyle activities and others on medications to slow or stop the ravages of the disease on brain tissue and neurons.
The largest involve thousands of participants and cost tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars funded by combination of the government, private foundations and pharmaceutical companies. The latest partnership is expected to be announced Tuesday, with Novartis AG NOVN.VX +0.56% providing significant funding to the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix for a prevention trial starting next year likely to cost over $100 million. The National Institutes of Health is also providing over $30 million for the study.
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http://online.wsj.com/articles/alzheimers-disease-fight-focuses-on-preventive-treatment-1405396803
Chez Froggie 