This Sunday is the day of the world of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide.
Research on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia with tens of millions of patients worldwide advances, especially in the diagnosis, but there is still no cure for the disease. New medications show modest benefits and serious risks, while blood tests promise to revolutionize early detection. In prevention, healthy habits seem to have some effect, but the evidence remains limited.
After decades of failure in the investigation, two drugs opened a new chapter: the Kisunla (donanemab)from Eli Lilly, and the This is a piece of (LineMab)from Biogen and Eyaai. They are the first to show effects on reducing the symptoms of the disease.
But the results were only observed in patients in the early stages of the disease and modestly. In addition, both can cause Severe side effects such as brain bleeding.
Worldwide, national health authorities and associations have very different positions on treatments. In the United Kingdom, associations press for rapid approval of drugs. In France, the position is more cautious. THE France Alzheimer Recognizes innovation, but warns of “intrinsic limitations.”
In Portugal, the Association It underlines that medicines are intended only for light cases and require rigorous surveillance. The decision now fits the Infarmed.
“However, this approval is conditioned to slight forms of the disease and strict conditions of selection of patients who can use the drug. It is a drug that, in clinical trials, has shown the ability to highlight discrete improvements, but with side effects that oblige a surveillance close to patients. Now it will be necessary to wait for the analysis and opinion of the agencies of different countries, and in the case of Portugal. Website.
How is the diagnosis made?
Another debate concerns the early diagnosis, with a growing division between Europe and the United States.
The big news is the possibility of detect the disease with a simple blood testwhich identifies biomarkers associated with brain changes.
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In the United States, the first blood test was approved in May this year. In Europe not yet, but the United Kingdom has launched on a large scale, pela Alzheimer Society.
A Alzheimer’s Associationin the USAconsider sufficient biomarkers for diagnosis since 2024. To Europe, experts argue that they continue to be necessary Complete clinical examinations. Speaking to AFP, Dutch neurologist Edo Richard stressed thate Many individuals with altered biomarkers never develop dementia.
Prevention: healthy habits help, but little
There is consensus that factors such as hypertension, smoking, obesity or hearing loss increase the risk of dementia. According to a published review Almost half of Alzheimer’s cases are associated with identifiable factors.
Still, clinical trials that tested exercise programs and healthy diets showed reduced effects. The most recent study,He concluded that two years of intensive support delayed only slightly the cognitive decline.
For some experts, such as the French epidemiologist Cécilia reconciledcited by AFP, even a modest effect is already important. But only long -term studies – from 10 to 15 years – can give solid responses.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
A It is the most common form of dementia, which results in a slow and progressive loss of memory, thought and ability to learn. Symptoms include disorientation, personality changes and difficulties in making decisions.
In the brain, the disease begins with protein accumulation beta-amyloidfollowed by the formation of protein tangles toxic to neurons.
