New Vaccine Could Cut Number of Alzheimer’s Cases in Half

A new Alzheimer’s vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Texas, Southwestern could conceivably cut the number of dementia cases in half.

Unlike a previous attempt that caused swelling in the brain when DNA was injected into the test mice’s muscles, the new vaccine was administered by injecting it superficially into the skin.

Alzheimer’s, which is expected to strike triple the number of people by 2050, cripples the brain as human beings age, as beta-amyloid proteins in the brain get stuck together and tau proteins start to tangle, both of which inhibit neural connections. The new vaccine, injected into the skin, triggers the skin cells to produce a three-molecule chain of beta-amyloid. The immune system is then catalyzed to produce antibodies to fight beta-amyloid; the antibodies also fight tau proteins.. This means the body anticipates the Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles before happen. . .

Dr. Roger Rosenberg, founding director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at University of Texas Southwestern, said the new vaccine “is the culmination of a decade of research that has repeatedly demonstrated that this vaccine can effectively and safely target in animal models what we think may cause Alzheimer’s disease.” He added, “I believe we’re getting close to testing this therapy in people.”

Study senior author Dr Doris Lambracht-Washington said: “If the onset of the disease could be delayed by even five years, that would be enormous for the patients and their families. The number of dementia cases could drop by half.” (Read more from “New Vaccine Could Cut Number of Alzheimer’s Cases in Half” HERE)

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