The discovery a chemical which has the potential to prevent the death of brain tissue is being hailed as a “turning point” in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The BBC is reporting that more work is needed to develop this new chemical into a working medicine, but the future application could be used to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The Toxicology Unit at the University of Leicester’s Medical Research Council found that the chemical could prevent all brain cell death from prion disease in tests on mice.
It has already been described by a professor from King’s College London as a “turning point in the search for medicines to control and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.”
Around half a million people in the UK are currently affected by Alzheimer’s disease, probably the best-known cause of dementia as it accounts for about two-thirds of cases in the elderly.
Whilst there is currently no cure, several treatments are available which can improve symptoms.
The number of people in the UK with dementia is steadily increasing.
The latest figures from 2012 suggest there are over 800,000 people with some form of dementia, the majority of whom are over age 65.
One in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six people over 80 years of age has a form of dementia.
It is estimated that by 2021 there will be one million people with dementia in the UK, and this figure is expected to rise to over 1.7 million people by 2051.
If you care for someone with dementia, there may come a time when you have to think about long-term care in somewhere other than your own home.
This can often be a difficult and painful decision to make, and it is important you consider the full range of options available.
Do speak to us for independent financial advice on the various options for funding the cost of care.
