GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Imagine a day, where Alzheimer's disease is a thing of the past. Breakthrough treatments revealed in Grand Rapids show that reality is inching closer.
Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park hosted an event Tuesday, April 23 where Dr. David Morgan an MSU Research Foundation Professor of Translational Neuroscience revealed a key new detail in the fight against Alzheimer's.
"I’m very pleased to tell you that we now have one disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s," said Morgan.
That treatment is known as Leqembi. A newly FDA-approved drug that potentially affects Alzheimer's by slowing down the progression of the disease.
“We spent the last three and a half decades moving from the first recognition that this was perhaps one of the agents that was responsible for causing this dementing illness," added Morgan.
That recognition of finding out what specifically causes Alzheimer's is key to treating it.
While a cure is ideal, Dr. Morgan emphasizes that prevention has a clearer path. "Like any disease, prevention is always better than treatment. I mean, we don't want to wait until you have your heart attack to start training for heart disease," said Morgan.
While identifying symptoms of Alzheimer's can be tricky, new methods of identifying amyloids in blood can make diagnosing a lot faster.
“We’re going to reach a stage, where in your 50’s we’re going to do a blood test," said Morgan.
While the future seems bright for treating Alzheimer's, Doctor Morgan emphasizes that more research is needed and is always ongoing.
To donate to Michigan's Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, click here.
