Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
Or call 0345 90 80 161
29 July 2016 08:27
Alzheimer's breakthroughs have proved elusive
Alzheimer's disease sufferers may one day have their mental functionality preserved and brain deterioration slowed thanks to a new drug, scientists hope.
Researchers say it is premature to get too excited about the LMTX study, because of the small sample of patients - 891 - and its overall lack of success.
The optimism stems from the fact that it helped around one in six (15%) of those sufferers tested who were not on other Alzheimer's medication.
Among this small group, MRI scans discovered that brain cells were not killed off to the same extent as those not taking the drug. Scientists also found that LMTX takers with no other such medication had preserved thinking power.
LMTX works by targeting the accumulation of protein tau tangles inside neurons. Such tangles are believed to mark the end stage of Alzheimer's that results in the brain cells dying.
What the experts say
Serge Gauthier, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit director at Canada's McGill University calls the findings "encouraging".
Dr. Gauthier says such research has become "plagued" by constant lack of success down the years with no practical advances in the therapeutic field for more than 10 years.
The Alzheimer's Research UK charity's chief scientific officer David Reynolds told BBC reporters that Alzheimer's disease patients would not be taking the drug for years even if it is proven to work.
The Alzheimer's Society's Doug Brown says the research offers a glimmer of hope. Dr. Brown says that new breakthroughs are beginning to indicate that dementia could be stopped one day.
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference in the Canadian city of Toronto presented the findings.
Holidays with Alzheimer's
Going away on a foreign holiday with Alzheimer's need not be as stressful as many may think if trusted Alzheimer's-related travel insurance is taken out.
This not only offers round-the-clock emergency medical help, it also covers lost medication.
Policies cover the usual travel insurance matters such as delayed or cancelled flights, lost luggage, missing travel documents and stolen possessions.
Policies can also be taken out to cover Alzheimer's sufferers' carers too.
19 March 2019
Looking for adventure? Create your perfect Scandinavian weekend with these alternative city break ideas.
[more...]
Lower your blood pressure with these fresh, healthy foods you can add to your diet.
02 March 2019
A Flybe flight was forced to abort take-off due to the cabin filling with "smoke" while it was accelerating along the runway at Exeter Airport.
01 March 2019
Holidaymakers will soon be able to take advantage of the first direct flight from London to Scotland's Western Isles after Loganair announced three new routes.
28 February 2019
Over one in five women in the UK wrongly think a smear test can detect ovarian cancer, new research has revealed.
27 February 2019
One in 10 UK adults over the age of 40 is living with Type 2 diabetes, new analysis suggests - but the real figure could be much higher.
26 February 2019
British Airways has revealed the second of its series of retro liveries being recreated as part of the airline's 100th birthday celebrations.
23 February 2019
The price of a prescription in England is set to rise again, the Government has announced, in a move some campaigners have called disappointing.
22 February 2019
Just half an hour of exercise every morning could be as effective as drugs at lowering daily blood pressure, research suggests.
21 February 2019
A British man accidentally used the wrong passport to fly from Prague to the UK, leaving his friend stranded in the Czech capital.
19 February 2019
Hundreds of passengers have had their travel plans cancelled following the collapse of airline flybmi.
16 February 2019
Holidaymakers were left fuming after a "lack of clarity" over Brexit led a Romanian airline to cancel flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.