More Funding is the Key to Combat Alzheimer’s Disease
Mar 09 2011
By Ryan Acosta, Staff Writer
“I am the greatest.”
Muhammad Ali used to trumpet that during his heyday. Yet Ali himself conceded that there’s one more boxer who deserved to be called the greatest: Sugar Ray Robinson. The first boxer who earned the title “Sugar,” Robinson fought with unparalleled mastery of the sweet science.
Robinson fought 202 marvelous bouts and won 173 of them—108 coming by knockout. During his stellar career that lasted for three decades, Robinson was able to hold several titles at different weight classes and earned the admiration and respect of millions of people across the globe. Graceful as a butterfly and dangerous as a bee in the ring during his prime, an aged Robinson was unable to outbox one unbeatable foe: Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
A form of dementia, AD is one of the most common diseases that affect the elderly. According to the CDC more than 5 million Americans have AD and the vast majority of these are 65 years of age and older. Basing upon the latest figures, the CDC estimates that 5 percent of men and women between 65 to 74 years old have Alzheimer’s disease and about half of seniors aged 85 years old and above suffer from AD.
Perhaps no other disease can be identified with aging other than Alzheimer’s disease. After all, old people seem to forget things from time to time. However, the manifestations of AD, such as extreme decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning abilities that prevent an individual from performing ordinary daily tasks, are not a normal part of aging. Marked by severe depletion of neurons and synapses in the cerebral cortex and some subcortical regions, AD is a fatal condition. According to the latest estimates of the CDC, AD is now the 7th leading cause of death in the US.
Burden of AD
Those who suffer from AD comprise not more than 13 percent of the Medicare population, yet the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that they are responsible for 34 percent of Medicare spending. The estimated cost of AD to the economy comes at a staggering $172 billion per year. With the current status of the economy, AD is a cumbersome load to the pockets of American citizens.
What is alarming is that incidence of AD is on the rise. The last Census report predicts that the population of seniors 65 years old and above is steadily increasing and will be doubled to 72 million by 2030.
Research on AD
Understanding underlying mechanisms of a disease is essential as it would lead to formulations of effective treatment. Yet little is known as to what exactly cause Alzheimer’s disease. Considering the current burden that AD is causing, it is essential that research on AD should be stepped up.
Scientists from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) are spearheading the search to find answers that will lead to more understanding of AD. Currently, the NIA is focusing its research to comprehend mechanisms of AD and find more effective treatment. One promising NIA-sponsored research involves the exploration of using anti-oxidant supplementation to prevent cognitive decline.
NIA researchers are also studying the probable positive effects of estrogen on combating AD. Scientists have produced Selective Estrogen-receptor Modulators (SERM) that may be capable of mimicking the ability of estrogen to protect neurons.
Researchers sponsored by the NIA are also exploring the possibilities of developing an anti-Alzheimer’s disease vaccine in the future. AD vaccine experiments involving laboratory mice have yielded positive results but need further refinement.
Aside from the NIA, there are also other institutions and organizations that are conducting research on Alzheimer’s disease. With ample support and funding, scientist will continue to learn more about the nature of Alzheimer’s disease and formulate effective treatment against it.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alzheimer’s Disease. 2010. http://www.cdc.gov/aging/healthybrain/alzheimers.htm.
CDC. National Vital Statistics Reports. Volume 57, Number 14. April 17, 2009. Deaths: Final Data for 2006. 2006. http://www.cdc.gov/NCHS/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_14.pdf.
He, Wan, Manisha Sengupta, Victoria, Velkoff A., DeBarros, and Kimberly A. Current Population Reports. 65+ in the United States: 2005. 2005. U.S. Census Bureau. 2005. http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p23-209.pdf.
National Institute on Aging (NIA). The Search for AD Prevention Strategies. 2009. http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/ADPrevented/strategies.htm.
Plassman, B. L., et al. Prevalence of Dementia in the United States: The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. Neuroepidemiology. 29 (2007): 125-132.
Posted under: Alzheimer's.
Tags: Alzheimer's
