A groundbreaking experimental treatment appears to delay Alzheimer’s symptoms in individuals genetically predisposed to develop the disease in their 40s or 50s. This study, led by Washington University in St. Louis, involves families with rare gene mutations that make the disease almost inevitable at a predictable age.
Early findings, published in The Lancet Neurology, suggest that long-term use of amyloid-removing drugs significantly reduces the risk of developing symptoms. However, funding delays due to political factors in the U.S. government have put the study’s future at risk, raising concerns among participants who see the treatment as a potential lifeline.
Promising Treatment Shows Potential but Faces Funding and Research Uncertainty
Jake Heinrichs, a participant in the study, has been symptom-free despite inheriting the gene that caused Alzheimer’s in his father and brother at a similar age. He credits the experimental treatment with extending his life beyond expectations. The study found that among 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs for an average of eight years, the risk of symptom onset was cut in half.
This result is significant because previous Alzheimer’s drugs have only shown modest benefits in slowing early-stage disease, while this treatment suggests the potential to prevent symptoms altogether if administered early enough.
Experimental Alzheimer’s Treatment Shows Promise but Faces Uncertain Future Due to Funding DelaysDespite these promising results, funding for further research has been delayed. Dr. Randall Bateman, who leads the study, had raised private funds to start the next phase but is awaiting approval from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for full-scale funding. However, administrative issues and funding restrictions have stalled the review process, putting the study’s continuation in jeopardy.
Researchers are also concerned about potential shifts in NIH priorities under new leadership, particularly following comments from Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who suggested that Alzheimer’s research should explore a broader range of hypotheses beyond amyloid buildup.
Expanding Research Beyond Amyloid to Uncover Alzheimer’s Causes and Improve Treatments
Scientists are still trying to fully understand the causes of Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects nearly 7 million Americans. While amyloid buildup is a key factor, researchers are also exploring the role of tau proteins, inflammation, immune cells, and even viruses.
Over the past decade, NIH has expanded its funding to include a wider variety of treatment approaches. However, many scientists still believe that targeting amyloid remains critical, and some, like Northwestern University neuroscientist David Gate, are investigating how immune cells could be harnessed to clear amyloid plaques and promote brain healing.
For study participants, the stakes are deeply personal. June Ward, a 64-year-old participant who remains symptom-free beyond the age her mother first developed Alzheimer’s, is urging lawmakers to push for continued funding. Heinrichs also hopes that ongoing research will prevent his 3-year-old son from experiencing the pain of watching a loved one suffer from the disease.
His wife, Rachel Chavkin, emphasized that Alzheimer’s research should remain above politics, focusing on keeping people alive and improving their quality of life. Without NIH support, a crucial opportunity to prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms in high-risk individuals could be lost.
