• Question: do you think there will ever be a cure for dementia and alzhiemers , if so how do you think they will do it and what they would use to cure it ?

    Asked by anon-187920 to Warren, Shanti, Pizza Ka Yee, Paul, Nadine, Alex on 8 Nov 2018. This question was also asked by anon-188782.
    • Photo: Warren Mansell

      Warren Mansell answered on 8 Nov 2018:

      I don’t know enough about the biology of Alzheimer’s to provide an answer. However, my colleagues work on a way to talk to people with dementia that attempts to improve the quality of conversation they have with their loved ones – which is one important step. https://binged.it/2RLLVFT

    • Photo: Nadine Mirza

      Nadine Mirza answered on 8 Nov 2018:

      I truly believe there’ll be a cure for dementia and Alzheimer’s. Already research has made so many strides in this area, on how to slow down the symptoms and manage them. It’s just a matter of time now and big research organisations, like Alzheimer’s Research UK, are aiming to have a “life changing treatment” by 2025. You can find out more here: https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/by-2025/
      Since dementia is damage and break down of brain cells, one of the things scientists are working on is how to fix or regenerate the cells that get damaged and how to do it at a faster rate than they’re breaking down.
      Another things scientists are looking at is our genes. They’re trying to find the genes that increase likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s and apparently have figured out 21 out of 22. They’re trying to figure out how we can make sure these problem genes don’t occur which could also lead to a cure.

    • Photo: Alex Reid

      Alex Reid answered on 9 Nov 2018:

      While it is not my area, I am an optimist, so I would say yes. It is a very difficult disease, obviously for the poor individual with it, but also for their family and society as a whole. Because of this a huge amount of resources and energy have been channeled into research at various levels relating to diagnosis, patient care, treatment and a possible cure. Because the problem is being attacked from so many angles by so many people I believe that eventually we will get there. It might be a case of small steps though rather than an amazing ‘we found the cure’ moment. Science always marches forward and I would never underestimate the tenacity of researchers and their dedication to solving this problem.

    • Photo: Paul Matusz

      Paul Matusz answered on 11 Nov 2018:

      Some great answers here already – as every disorder, the “cure” will be complex. We have made great strides in understanding the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease, and so I think concerted efforts on 1) finding drugs addressing the molecular mechanisms, 2) effective rehabilitation involving lifestyle changes, and 3) early detection will bring us closer to tackling it.

      We have recently published a study showing that you can use a simple task of detection of audiovisual stimuli to detect if someone has mild cognitive impairment – to some, a first step to the full blown dementia. Have a look at an article in the media and our scientific article for more info:

      https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180620125958.htm
      https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-27288-2

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