Alzheimer's Research & Me On TV!

You wouldn't know it by my lack of posting these last 6mo or so, but I do try to keep up-to-date w/medical literature.  However, I've been using other means of getting my thoughts out for the masses, such as Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter.  In any case, some colleagues recently told me about a cure for Alzheimer's disease.  Of course, I was intrigued b/c none of my usual sources had mentioned anything.  It turns out they had, in turn, heard about it from their sources, Dementia Today, Telegraph & Time.  So I went to the horse's mouth, Nature.

But is it the cure for which we've been searching, akin to the Holy Grail?  In a word, no, I'm afraid.  Yes, this drug does help support the beta amyloid theory as causing Alzheimer's disease but we're far from a cure as the monthly intravenous drug was studied in just 165 people w/mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia for just one year, so it's nowhere near ready for prime time, much less enough studies to determine appropriate dose & potential side effects.

So what's the big deal?  Well, this research did get me an interview this Labor Day weekend w/Ms. Kyndell Nunley, a wonderful reporter w/KSNV 3 at Aegis of Las Vegas, where I serve as Medical Director.  However, due to the usual issue of lots of worthy stories all vying for air time, much of my discussion was left on the cutting room floor.  Let me know if you think I should insist on them shooting from my right side next time!  And you'd think I'd be a bit smoother in my delivery after all these years of speaking from the podium, often w/cameras running to record for video CME, but it's not the same when the camera is right THERE in your face!

Bottom line, there's hope for the future but nothing new available right now.  So continue to do what you can to protect your heart b/c that's the best way we know to protect your brain, too.

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