Clinical Trials Provide Hope For Slowing The Progression Of Alzheimer’s (NAPSA)—Researchers may have found a new way to help many of the four and a half million people in the U.S. who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Volunteering to participate in a clinical trial may help researchers. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia (a brain disorder that seriously affects the ability to carry out daily activities) among older people. It involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Diagnosis can be difficult and involves several tests: * Medical history, including current mental or physical conditions, prescription and nonprescription drug use and family health history * An evaluation of ability to sense time and place; to remember, understand, and communicate; and to do simple math problems * A physical examination, including a brain scan, laboratory tests, and an evaluation to detect other causes of dementia New Type of Treatment UndergoingClinicalTrials There is, however, new hope. A study reported in the journal Neurology suggested that a device similar to that used for years to successfully treat people with hydrocephalus, water on the brain, may stabilize or slow the decline in mental function in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The treatment involves placing a narrow catheter into the fluidfilled cavity of the brain, allowing the controlled drainage of a small quantity of fluid. In Alzheimer’s patients, brain toxins do not appear to clear from this fluid at the same rate as in healthy individuals. It’s thought that this build-up contributes to the disease progression. Called the CogniShunt System, the device is More than 400,000 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every year in the U.S. A new device mayhelp. designed to improve the clearance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and reduce the amount of these toxins. The desired result is to slow or stop the progression of the disease. The surgery is well tolerated and patients often go home by the next day. In the study, the shunted group had better preservation of mental function over 12 months compared to the control group that received standard medical therapy. Levels of a potentially neurotoxic protein making up the neurofibrillary “tangles” that are hallmarks of AD, showed a marked andpersistent decline. “These data are consistent with our hypothesis that restoring CSF clearance may result in stabilization of mental function in Alzheimer’s disease,” said C. Raymond Larkin Jr., chairman and CEO of Eunoe, Inc. “If our early results are confirmed, this could be a powerful treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their families.” For more information, ineluding how to participate in a clinical trial, call 1-888-469-6463, or see www.eunoe-inc.com.
