Alzheimer's Cause Identified? 71
JediJeremy writes "Naturehas this article on the possibility that researchers have identified the cause of Alzheimers. Their research says that amyloid beta, a protein in the brain, may cause plaques and makes an enzyme -BACE1-that causes dimentia. In the study mice, those without BACE1 did not get dimentia, while the others did. The article also says that there are current market drugs that can stop BACE1 production and all that needs to be done is for a human trial to begin. Looks like there is hope for those that suffer."
Re:Relosing one's mind (Score:3, Insightful)
difference between preventing it and curing it (Score:4, Insightful)
Priorities at slashdot (Score:1, Insightful)
dementia correcting drugs eventually stop working (Score:4, Insightful)
But here the drug isn't being used for dementia correcting, it's being used to stop BACE1 production. As long as the drug continues to do that, it holds the promise of preventing Alzheimer's. Of course, the last line of the Slashdot story (Looks like there is hope for those that suffer.) is off the mark - block BACE1 production and you may prevent the disease; but there's no reason to think that if you block production you somehow crue those who already have the disease and the plaques.
Re:I think this is a symptom and not the problem! (Score:4, Insightful)
Now, if you'll excuse us, some people actually prefer real science, based on research and evidence than your so-called "facts".
Step II after prevention (Score:4, Insightful)
I read a few days ago an article about figuring out how to bust apart the prions in BSE (mad cow) - but cannot for the life of me find the link. There's a similar disease in sheep, scrapie, which they've had some success using monoclonal antibodies [usnews.com] to reduce the damage from.
That would be a next step in Alzheimer research - if we can bust apart the amyloid beta plaques in sufferers, we might not be able to get back all old function, but it would very likely help current sufferers. One we have the ounce of prevention - it would be nice to have the pound of cure, too.
Re:I think this is a symptom and not the problem! (Score:2, Insightful)
I agree the grandparent is way out of line with his statement, but I wouldn't disregard homeopathy that easily.
For many years western medicine did not recognize, and either ignored or laughed at any "alternative" medical treatments. This has changed though, check Harvard's Osher Institute [caregroup.org]
Just think how homeopathic cures came by: most likely people in the past discovered that certain things helped cure sick people. They might not necessarily understand why, and there were no easy ways to explain it, but as long as certain treatments helped, they were used. Today's science doesn't understand a lot of these things either, but just because it doesn't, it doesn't mean they are worthless. There is something to it, and one day science will help us understand what. I still consider our sciences, specially human sciences like medicine, psychology, etc., in just a beginner phase. There is still A LOT to learn about ourselves.
Re:I think this is a symptom and not the problem! (Score:1, Insightful)
Humans (and primates in general) are clearly evolved to be omnivores. It doesn't mean meat is the optimal food, but it does mean an awful lot of vegetarian activists are idiots.