yep think i was born too soon
wished i was born 15 years later
why
the studies on alzheimers showing promising findings
is starting to steam roll
although im participating in one of the biggest and
most important studies on alzheimers ever done
i wish i were younger so that i could some day
benefit from these findings
at least those of you are younger than me and my kids
and my nieces and nephews and one day my grandkids
will all benefit
those who would have gotten alzheimers will actually
be dying from something else since treatments will be
available to prevent and treat this disease
nothing we have available does this except we are
getting close
ivig (intravenous immunoglobulins)-they take the plasma
from plasma donors and remove all the immunoglobulins that
fight inflammation disease and infections including antibodies
against that on bad sticky stuff beta anyloid and it is given in
a vein as an infusion
you know some of you when you were younger in college
needed money so you donated at a plasma center
thats where this stuff comes from
its not new and is actually available now
its used now against certain neurological diseases as
multiple sclerosis myasthenia gravis some demylinating
polyneuropathies eg
its not approved by fda for use in alzheimers
the supply is limited
and its very very expensive
they gave this ivig to patients with alzheimers then followed them
for several months and those who received the higher doses
got good results
with alzheimers when you have it and show symptoms the decline
is noticeable over 3 years
everyone in this study showed a noticeable decline in progressive
symptoms
those who received the higher doses did not have any
worsening of their alzheimers in 3 years
if you have anyone in your family who has alzheimers you know
this is an important result
my mother went from driving her car although she shouldnt have
to being unable to care for herself in three years
the same happened to my younger brother
now the problem is this stuff is available now
it can be given to someone and they may not progress in their
disease
they dont get better but they dont get worse
on the horizon and in the final stages of studies are at least three
infusions that contain either man made antibodies or something
that induces the patient to make antibodies against beta amyloid
those results will be published soon so well
know whether this approach will work against alzheimers
the ivig study implies that it will
if i have alzheimers i would be a good candidate for use of one of
this iv infusions since im so early in the process
and only a small amount of damage has been done so far
the progression of the disease could be stopped and i would
not develop full blown alzheimers
another important study is the genome project
luckily i am one of 800 people in this study
using dna obtained in the adni study that im in
basically they will take blood and will do a whole genome
sequencing (all 6 billion letters in my dna) that will take 4 months to do
they will basically map out all of my dna and genes
they then will take this information and compare it to my
neuropsychological exams my mris my beta amyloid pet scans
and other tests done in the study
and scientist all over the world will use this information for
research
this genome project may end up creating a world without
alzheimers according to one researcher
we sure hope so
yep born 15 years too early
the organic green doctor