In a previous blog, we answered the question, “What is Alzheimer’s disease?”. While understanding the background and history of the disease is important, being informed on recent breakthroughs is as well. Alzheimer’s disease research is evolving, and we want to help keep you in the loop. Origin Active Lifestyle Communities is here to provide you with a few recent breakthroughs that bring us hope and a further understanding of the disease itself.
With Alzheimer’s breakthroughs occurring, a better understanding of the disease is happening, and researchers are able to develop new methods of treatment. While not every study can produce a groundbreaking and therapy-altering method, some exciting ones are emerging. One of the most recent methods still being studied comes from West Virginia University. The study uses ultrasound technology, which may not be new, but it has never been used in this capacity. With focused ultrasound waves, they believe they can open a patient’s blood-brain barrier to allow better flow and prevent blocks of large molecules and medications from properly flowing to the brain. This breakthrough, which still in very early phases of testing and study, provides a lot of hope and optimism to the community. This study will take several years to test, and it is currently being tested on only one patient, but the researchers behind it are very hopeful, and so are we!
As we continue to make more Alzheimer’s disease breakthroughs, we begin to understand the disease. Another study comes from the University of Manchester and suggests that herpes simplex virus one (HSV1) can cause cumulative damage to your brain and ultimately lead to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery may seem somewhat minor, but it gives researchers hope and a new perspective. On the same token, certain treatments used for HSV1 may also yield potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
As Alzheimer’s disease breakthroughs become more common, so do the ways we diagnose the disease. New methods are taking effect, making it easier and more cost-effective to accurately diagnose the condition.
A new method comes out of Duke University, where researchers have learned that Alzheimer’s disease can be diagnosed through an eye test. These researchers found that those with Alzheimer’s have fewer small retinal blood vessels at the back of the eye and a thinner specific layer of the retina compared to those without the disease.
Another method uses Tau PET scanning to help improve the accuracy of the diagnosis. This process shows a much higher sensitivity to detecting Alzheimer’s disease and can drastically lower the rate of misdiagnosis. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease does share symptoms of other health conditions, and while misdiagnosis is potential, this method helps reduce those odds.
The more we understand Alzheimer’s, the better we can diagnose it and treat it. There are many recent Alzheimer’s disease breakthroughs that we did not list. An active lifestyle has also shown to protect the brain from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Throughout Canada, Origin Active Lifestyle Communities promote a healthy and active lifestyle for our community members! Origin is the perfect destination for those seeking unique, engaging, and beautiful communities that are designed with community members in mind. Find your ideal community and experience the Origin Way for yourself!