First-Ever World Alzheimer's Congress Winds Down

W a s h i n g t o n, July 16 ?Federal researchers will get an additional $50 million over the next five years for research into a potential vaccine and treatments for Alzheimers' disease, the White House said today.
　　Former President Reagan’s daughter Maureen Reagan, an activist in the fight against the fatal disease her father suffers from, welcomed the announcement but said much more is needed. The organization Maureen Reagan represents, the Alzheimer’s Association, wants $100 million for research this year.
　　As part of the organization's effort to raise awareness and bring researchers together, this year it launched the first-ever World Alzheimer’s Congress. The White House’s promise of extra federal funds seemed a promising close to the 10-day event winding down this weekend, even though the amount was well under expectations.
　　The Congress, which is the first time the world’s three major Alzheimer’s conferences have met at once, drew more than 5,000 researchers, doctors and caregivers from around the globe and ends Tuesday.
　　“We know so much about Alzheimer’s, but we just can’t seem to fit all the pieces together,?said William Thies, Ph.D., vice president of Medical and Scientific Affairs for the Alzheimer’s Association. “It’s clear from the Congress that we’ve come a long way, but still have a miles to go before we reach a cure.?/p>

Experimental Vaccine
　　The $50 million for the National Institutes of Health is to build on preliminary findings made public last week at the Congress about the search for a vaccine against the progressive, degenerative brain disease that afflicts 4 million Americans. The aging of the baby boom generation will push the total to 14 million by 2050, according to the association.
　　Elan Pharmaceuticals?announced the results of preliminary human trails on its experimental vaccine. The trials suggested the compound may safe for humans.
　　Last year Elan announced it had discovered the vaccine could ward off and even reduce the brain-clogging plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease in mice. The company hopes to launch larger human trials, possibly by the end of 2001, to test whether the vaccine might slow progression of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

New Type of Drug
　　Although the vaccine garnered the most media attention during the conference hundreds of other studies were discussed at the conference including the most comprehensive study yet on a new drug that could halt the progression of Alzheimer's in people in the later-stage of the disease
　　During six months of testing, the drug enabled “patients to dress themselves better, to bathe themselves better and to perform a variety of other functions in an improved fashion,?said Dr. Barry Reisberg, a researcher at the New York University School of Medicine.
　　Patients given the drug, called memantine, also showed improvement in awareness and judgement, said Reisberg. Memantine has been available in Germany for some years through German pharmaceutical company, Merz & Co., but still has to pass muster with the Federal Drug Administration.
　　“I hope this study will help the drug gain approval in this country,?said Reisberg. Alzheimer’s disease disrupts the way the brain works, affecting the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. Neither the cause nor the cure has been found. The three major drugs currently used to treat Alzheimer’s in the United States treat the earlier stages of the disease. There is no drug to treat people with more advanced Alzheimer’s.

Impact of Lifestyle
　　Currently, one in 10 people over the age of 65 and as many as half those over 85 have Alzheimer’s.
　　The disease costs the American health care system as much as $100 billion a year, the White House said. The average lifetime cost of caring for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease has been estimated at $174,000.
　　In recent years researchers have also looked at the impact lifestyle may have on Alzheimer’s.
　　“We know that Alzheimer’s, like most diseases, has genetic and environmental factors that impact it. It's harder to do research how lifestyle affects Alzheimer's because it is much harder to diagnose, it often takes a very long time to develop, and many of the patients are older and can’t remember past behaviors,?said Robert Friedland, associate professor of neurology at Case Western University in Ohio.
　　Friedland was one of several researchers to present studies that showed many of the same things doctors recommend for a healthy heart, may also help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s.
　　Eating a low fat diet, maintaining low-blood pressure, exercising regularly and staying mentally active may all be preventive measures.
　　Friedland said he plays the violin because he loves it, but added that it one way he stays mentally active away from work.
　　“You have to do something that you love or else you won’t stay with it. But any type of learning, reading, writing, being socially interactive may help,?lower the risk of Alzheimer’s.

(From ABCNEWS)