Jumping the gun

Another day, another cure for Alzheimer’s disease is announced.

Recently it was claimed that a special helmet worn for 10 minutes a day could reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s within weeks of starting to use it. The contraption, which looks like something out of a TV science fiction series, bathes the brain in infra-red light to stimulate the growth of brain cells, which can reverse memory loss.

This follows an announcement last week of research that has identified certain proteins that can reverse the effects of the disease within minutes of it being injected into a sufferer.

A quick trawl through the news section on Bettercaring (http://www.bettercaring.com/editorial/channel3.aspx?id=92) reveals several other stories during the past few months of researchers excitedly declaring a cure or treatment for Alzheimer’s, but in most (if not all) cases there is a caveat saying that research is at an early stage and further analysis is required.

It is this that stops me getting too excited about the news. While a treatment or cure for Alzheimer’s would be an amazing breakthrough that would transform the lives of millions in the UK – sufferers and their families alike – anything that could be prescribed by your local hospital or GP is still years away.

The real time to get excited will be when – or if – wider, more in-depth research is completed that reinforces the early findings and scientists are looking to commercialise a product.

Until then, Alzheimer’s sufferers will have to make do with current treatments, which at best can only slow their decline, and the hope that these discoveries are as good as the scientists claim and get to market in time to make a difference to them.