Why Modifying Your Lifestyle Is More Important Than Ever
Until very recently, the dominant theory for explaining Alzheimer’s disease has been the ‘amyloid hypothesis’. This is the idea that sticky amyloid proteins build up in the brain causing plaques, and in later life, Alzheimer’s-related dementia. Clearing them would thereby restore cognitive function. Since this theory came to light, billions of pounds have been spent on research funding and clinical trials to see if a drug can be created to reverse this plaque build up.
Last month, the Cochrane review, often thought of as the gold standard of evidence-based medicine, analysed 17 clinical trials involving 20,342 patients and seven different anti-amyloid drugs. Participants were assessed on their memory, behaviour and wider brain function using established dementia tests. The Cochrane review came to the conclusion that while the drugs targeting the amyloid plaques do successfully clear proteins from the brain, it provided “no clinical benefit” and that statistical improvements found in previous trials did not translate into the real world. Though ‘gold standard’, the Cochrane findings may not tell the whole story because it brought together ‘old’ drug and ‘new’ drug data. The ‘new’ drugs, like Lecanemab and Donanemab target the immune system and promote the removal of plaques. One reason why these new drugs may be more successful is that they depend on early diagnosis.
