The Sanders Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky will be participating in a clinical trial for a new potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. But, not all patients with this memory disorder will likely see a benefit from this trial.
Medical researchers have focused their attention on clumps of amyloid protein in the brain for years. Sanders Brown Associate Director Donna Wilcock said a new technique aims at turning on immune cells to eat away at the plaques in the brain. She noted it holds promise to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s. More and more Wilcock says researchers are realizing this treatment may be best for specific patients. “The more we’ve learned and the more we’ve realize the nuances of dementia and the different causes of dementia, the more we realize it’s not going to be a one size fits all,” said Wilcock.
Wilcock said the hope for this and other treatments is to figure out the subset of people who can benefit and get it into the right people at the right time. While reversing all effects of Alzheimer’s is not likely, Wilcock said she’s 100% confident finding a way to stop or significantly slow progression will occur.
Wilcock said, if there were ten drugs and each worked for 5% of Alzheimer’s patients that would impact half of those with this form of memory loss. The medical researcher added it’s likely to be a progressive process and not a penicillin type effect. Wilcock anticipates clinical trial work in Lexington to start in the coming months.
Here's more with Donna Wilcock of Sanders Brown Center on Aging on upcoming clinical trial for a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease:
People like you value experienced, knowledgeable and award-winning journalism that covers meaningful stories in Central and Eastern Kentucky. To support this locally-produced content, please consider making a contribution.
