Alzheimer's disease (AD) primarily affects the cerebral cortex, basal forebrain and hippocampus areas of the brain. There is currently no proven way to prevent Alzheimer's Disease, and no effective treatments that stop its progression.
It can no longer be ignored that dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease comprises about 70% of all cases, is a major and growing public health issue. Dementia is more common than skin cancer, yet with significantly less investment in public health initiatives and research. Only urgent, significant investment in research can deliver the preventative measures or effective treatments needed to halt this looming crisis.
There is currently no known treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
There are some drugs in use that treat the symptoms and can ameliorate their effects for a short period of time for a percentage of those who develop the disease. These are broadly termed Acetyl Cholinesterase Inhibitors. These improve the functioning of neurons but do not stop the progression of the disease. Eventually the disease progression overrides any benefits of improved neuronal efficiency and creates massive cognitive impairment.
New drugs are being trialed all the time. However, even though some of these are in the clinical trial stage, their efficacy has still to be validated and they require proof that they do not have destructive side effects before they can be released for public use. This can take years unless the treatment is of a type that is already in use in other medical areas and its safety is already established.
We urgently need to develop an effective treatment to minimise the enormous impact Alzheimer's disease will have on the nation's health, quality of life and economy in the coming years.
We are now aware of a number of mechanisms implicated in the body developing abnormal levels of beta amyloid in the blood and its deposition on the brain.
Our knowledge of beta amyloid is increasing all the time. We now know that beta amyloid is a commonly occurring protein which has a beneficial role in normal bodily functioning.
There are different forms of beta amyloid, some being beneficial, others destructive. We know that in some people there is an increased production of the destructive forms.
We also know that deposition of beta amyloid is widespread among the population, even for those who do not develop the condition. With some people, there is increased production of beta amyloid which in itself may contribute to increased deposition. The problem could also be due to a reduced ability of the body to remove the amyloid from the brain.
The McCusker research unit's studies into treatments include:
There is currently no known way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. Through our research, however, we are gaining an increasing understanding of physiological and genetic influences as well as lifestyle factors associated with its onset.
The role of diet as an environmental factor associated with Alzheimer's disease is becoming well known. A low dietary intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids (Fish Oils) and certain nutritional supplements could be possible risk factors for AD. If our trials with these are successful, they have the advantage of being able to progress rapidly to clinical trials as they are already known as safe foods. Other dietary factors being studied include anti-oxidants and polyphenols, all known to have a protective affect against cognitive decline.
We are also studying the role of physical and mental stimulation. These are both associated with the onset of Alzheimer's and are known to improve general health as well as memory and cognition. Our studies are aimed as assessing whether these factors have a role in deferring or preventing the onset of Alzheimer's.
Cholesterol and obesity are also known to be associated with Alzheimer's and the role of these as potential preventative strategies is also being studied.
McCUSKER