- Researchers claimed they found evidence amyloid plaque-removing therapies could delay Alzheimer’s symptoms in people genetically almost certain to develop the disease. Amyloid plaques are abnormal protein deposits that accumulate in the brain.
- The treatment reportedly reduced the risk of symptoms by half for 22 of the 73 patients studied.
- Research must continue, but the scientists involved in the study said the Trump administration’s delays jeopardize funding.
Full story
For the first time ever, scientists claimed they’d found evidence there could be a way to delay Alzheimer’s symptoms in people genetically more likely to develop the disease in their 40s or 50s.
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Could medication delay Alzheimer’s?
In a small trial conducted by Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, scientists found evidence that an experimental drug that removes amyloid plaques could possibly delay the onset of Alzheimer’s if initiated early enough in life.
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Amyloid plaques are abnormal protein deposits that accumulate in the brain.
Researchers tested the amyloid-removing therapies in a group of 73 people who have rare genetic mutations that make it almost certain they’ll develop Alzheimer’s.
The new study, published Wednesday, March 19, in the journal Lancet Neurology, found that the anti-amyloid drug reduced the risk of symptoms by half for 22 of the 73 patients studied. The 22 patients did not show any problems with memory or thinking and took the experimental medication for an average of eight years.
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What’s next?
Researchers said research and testing need to continue despite promising results.
However, research cuts and funding delays from the Trump administration threaten that possibility.
The research team said the National Institute of Health has already canceled two grant funding review meetings since Trump took office in January. The agency needs to review the team’s grant before the team can make any funding decisions.
If their grant misses a council meeting in May, the money for this study, which has been going since 2008, could run out.
Tags: Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Donald Trump, Drugs, Government funding, Government Grants, Health, Health Care, Medication, National Institutes of Health, prescription drugs, Research, Science, St. Louis, Study
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER – SCIENTISTS SAY THEY’VE FOUND EVIDENCE THERE COULD BE A WAY TO DELAY ALZEHIMER’S SYMPTOMS IN PEOPLE WHO ARE GENETICALLY MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP THE DISEASE IN THEIR 40S OR 50S.
IN A SMALL TRIAL FROM WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS – SCIENTISTS FOUND EVIDENCE AN EXPERIMENTAL DRUG THAT REMOVES AMYLOID PLAQUES CAN DELAY THE ONSET OF ALZHEIMER’S IF STARTED EARLY ENOUGH IN LIFE.
AMYLOID PLAQUES ARE ABNORMAL PROTEIN DEPOSITS THAT ACCUMULATE IN THE BRAIN.
RESEARCHERS TESTED THE AMYLOID-REMOVING THERAPIES IN A GROUP OF 73 PEOPLE WHO HAVE RARE GENETIC MUTATIONS THAT MAKE IT ALMOST CERTAIN THEY’LL DEVELOP ALZHEIMER’S.
THE NEW STUDY – PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY IN THE JOURNAL LANCET NEUROLOGY – FOUND THAT THE RISK OF SYMPTOMS WAS CUT IN HALF FOR A SMALL SUBSET OF 22 PATIENTS…
WHO HAD NOT SHOWN ANY PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY OR THINKING…
AND HAD BEEN TAKING AN AMYLOID-LOWERING DRUG FOR AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT YEARS.
RESEARCHERS SAY WHILE THESE RESULTS ARE PROMISING – MUCH MORE TESTING STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THAT MIGHT NOT BE SO EASY, HOWEVER, DUE TO RESEARCH CUTS AND FUNDING DELAYS FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THE RESEARCH TEAM SAYS THE MEETINGS TO REVIEW THEIR NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH GRANT FUNDING HAVE BEEN CANCELED TWICE NOW.
THEIR GRANT MUST BE REVIEWED BEFORE THEY CAN BE REFERRED TO WHAT’S KNOWN AS A COUNCIL MEETING – WHERE FUNDING DECISIONS ARE MADE.
IF THEIR GRANT MISSES A COUNCIL MEETING IN MAY, THE MONEY FOR THIS STUDY – WHICH HAS BEEN GOING SINCE 2008 – COULD RUN OUT.
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Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 42%
Center 38%
Right 19%
Bias Summary
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
framed the Alzheimer’s research with an emphasis on the potential of amyloid-removing therapies as a “lifeline,” while also highlighting the human impact with poignant quotes and emotionally charged language like “devastating” and “criminal” to describe funding delays.
Media outlets in the center
offered a more detached perspective, noting the study’s limitations and the need for further validation, while still acknowledging the promising nature of the results.
Media outlets on the right
de-emphasized the emotional aspects and instead introduced skepticism about the breadth of NIH’s research focus, suggesting a need for diverse hypotheses.
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Bias Distribution
35 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
35
Leaning Left
11
Center
10
Leaning Right
5
Last Updated
1 month ago
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