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New Drug Treatment Could Cure Alzheimer's Disease in Minutes

dailymail.co.uk — Doctors are calling for a clinical trial of an experimental drug treatment that it is claimed can reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease "in minutes". U.S. researchers say the treatment allowed an 82-year- old sufferer to recognise his wife for the first time in years.

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  • JamesMorris, on 04/13/2008, -8/+333If this is true then this is amazing. Much more news worthy than half the stuff on the front page lately.
    • ligyron, on 04/13/2008, -15/+5Of course it's true. and it is amazing. April 11 2008. Mankind takes another step
      • Intamin, on 04/13/2008, -1/+7Unless you developed it and saw it's magic work firsthand...I don't think it's in the "of course" dept....

        I hope it's true though.
    • lukas88, on 04/13/2008, -1/+53It is prudent to be skeptical of researchers who go to news outlets before their study is peer-reviewed. At this point, all results are anecdotal and based on case studies. In the article, other alzheimer's research specialists raise red flags about the findings.

      Giving people hope is great, but when you are dealing with something that would mean so much to everyone, it is best to be sure before you get everyone excited.
      • necroprancer, on 04/13/2008, -0/+9I would also add that how convinced these clinicians seemed of their drug's effectiveness was a bit disturbing. A good researcher would never say a drug they're researching is effective until clinical studies bore that out. This all seems a bit underwhelming.
      • DaFunk, on 04/13/2008, -0/+9It was peer-reviewed.

        http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcg ...
        • lukas88, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2This is a case study, which is a very early stage in research. Too soon to generalize findings.
          • DaFunk, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2It's fine to say that, but saying that they went straight to news outlets instead of peer-review when they submitted their findings to a peer-reviewed journal 3 months before this news story was published is a bit misleading.
      • necroprancer, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1You should read the article you've submitted. It's not a peer-reviewed study. It's a 'report' that outlines their anecdotal evidence. Nothing one can draw conclusions from.
    • Tr33fiddy, on 04/13/2008, -7/+9Of all the diseases you can catch, Alzheimer's must be one of the worst; to lose the very essence of what makes you yourself. To forget an entire lifetime of memories and everyone who ever mattered to you - or to see a loved one slowly crumble piece by piece until they don't even know your face.

      That this drug works in any capacity is fantastic news on it's own, but that it shows that sufferers still retain their memories - that the damage is not irreversible - is truly amazing, and heartening.
      • ShootTheCore, on 04/13/2008, -1/+27You don't catch Alzheimer's...
      • whatever01, on 04/13/2008, -0/+12Have you seen a section from an Alzheimer patient's brain? It seems pretty apparent that in advanced stages much of the brain matter is missing. I'm skeptical for this, and for Lukas88's point that this wasn't from a peer reviewed journal.
    • CthulhuDawn, on 04/13/2008, -0/+29I don't trust a damned thing from The Daily Mail. It's pretty much a tabloid.
    • bwebb, on 04/13/2008, -0/+10This news is actually a little old but I'm glad it's getting front page recognition. I don't trust anything from Daily Mail but I found a more informative article from a more reputable source:

      http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/08010 ...
    • paulmer2003, on 04/13/2008, -1/+4Just half?
    • cutekelvins, on 04/13/2008, -7/+1I dont know either it will work or not but it can take the life of your spine.

      FTA:
      The treatment involves injecting a drug called Enbrel - which is normally used to treat arthritis - into the spine at the neck.

      These injections are helpful when a person is suffering from disc-slip. Continuous injections will make the disc liquid to leak and finally the disc would be damaged permanently. There are some *(**tard doctors who make such claims. The pain that you get after the disc is damaged is *(**in' intense. What would you do even if you recover. If you dont believe me then search for spinal disc degeneration on google.

      Instead, to keep the brain nerves active do some regular Yoga. It's much better and harmless.
      • azra3l, on 04/13/2008, -2/+8***** off, hippy
      • IllBeBack, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1It's ok to spell out the word *(** you know. Asterisk open parenthesis asterisk asterisk. There...
    • spectecjr, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1The news first came out in January.

      Personally, I believe that they don't have all the pieces of the puzzle yet. TNF-alpha is a good start, but there's other research that shows that HSV1 has been found in Alzheimer's plaques. Put these two together, add in the fact that elevated levels of TNF-alpha is a trigger for HSV1 replication, and you get the real picture.

      For those who are interested in more details, I wrote this article with links to the research: http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2008/01/amazing ...
    • jeffsteez, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Another example of 'the daily fail' gaming digg?
  • saxreturns, on 04/13/2008, -31/+2Yeah, tilt those patients!
  • irvin666, on 04/13/2008, -89/+5I'm calling *****.

    And no, I didn't read the article.
    • olik, on 04/13/2008, -21/+3before I do, let me guess... its cannibus, right?
    • Persian5Life, on 04/13/2008, -1/+26so if you did not bother reading the article and made a comment that means you are uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication; AKA ignorant.
      • tinman79, on 04/13/2008, -5/+3Probably a Bush supporter by your line of reasoning.
    • irvin666, on 04/13/2008, -14/+3Both of you, GET OFF OF MY BRIDGE!!
      • Arcesius, on 04/13/2008, -2/+9Are you supposed to be a troll or something?
    • codaofchoice, on 04/13/2008, -2/+19Then welcome to being dugg down and being a retard. Enjoy.
    • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -1/+9And the prize for the biggest dickhead of the day goes to....................................irvin666.....................well done.
    • ogloom, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2then no one cares what you have to say. GTFO
  • falloutsyndrome, on 04/13/2008, -31/+4It would be ironic if someone was cured, but during the minutes they were cured they (under the fading affliction) forgot about being cured and started claiming it as a miracle . . .
    • zspade, on 04/13/2008, -1/+6I would argue against your comment citing the vast amount of evidence to the contrary like documentation, eye witnesses, scientific evidence and so on... But sadly none of that stuff has ever seemed to stop people before.
  • keviniskool, on 04/13/2008, -11/+195Yeah, but it mutates everyone into zombies. That's where they get you.
    • zspade, on 04/13/2008, -4/+21Way to spread mindless science phobia Kevinskool! Everyone knows it's the cure for cancer that causes zombie apocalypses.
      • ludar, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1the alternate ending made me want to kill myself
        • zspade, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1I simultaneously became curious at the mention of an alternate ending, and then fearful at the thought of it inciting suicide.
          • ludar, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1SPOILER ALERT the mutants end up being inherently good
    • linagee, on 04/13/2008, -2/+3no refunds!
    • tj111, on 04/13/2008, -1/+20Either way its ok, Will Smith can save us,
    • xlar54, on 04/13/2008, -0/+5Worse... it makes you remember stuff that never even happened.
    • GoatMonkey2112, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3At least the zombies will know who they're eating.
      • mountvale, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0This is true. This is why Zombies do not eat each other (as can be seen in countless documentaries where they travel in groups in search of humans (by documentaries I mean Dawn of the Dead)).
  • smurf22, on 04/13/2008, -6/+318Cancer, Aids, and Alzheimer's has been cured on digg so far.
    • formergthing, on 04/13/2008, -1/+103Don't forget diabetes - which gets cured about once a week.
      • serif69, on 04/13/2008, -2/+24Thanks to Wilford Brimley
        • gavdana, on 04/13/2008, -3/+5Do you have DIE-A-BEE-TUS!?!
        • amg503, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Remember to check it, and check it often...[dramatic Wilford Brimley-esque pause]...there's no reason not to.
      • jameshighmore, on 04/13/2008, -1/+39Don't make fun of diabeetus.
      • carpespasm, on 04/13/2008, -0/+7I wouldn't say cured, but most people with type 2 diabetes can keep it managed pretty well and often times if they have a weight problem and they lose some weight they can get it to show no symptoms from what I understand.
      • Brainmodder, on 04/13/2008, -2/+3DIABEETUS!!!
      • Vaughanabe13, on 04/13/2008, -1/+3Type 2 diabetes is the only kind that can be "cured." Type 1 does not have a cure and some people are praying for one, so don't make any more ***** ***** comments like that.
    • Arcesius, on 04/13/2008, -0/+18But still we haven't managed to cure the common cold.
      • jmpeagle, on 04/13/2008, -0/+16and it never will be. You can onlt treat the symptoms. The common cold is endlessly mutating and by the time you are done analyzing it, the prevalent strains have totally changed their genetic makeup and are completely different organisms.
        • junkwheel, on 04/13/2008, -2/+10Hillary says she has a cure which only costs $10.
      • OfNumbers, on 04/13/2008, -3/+6And we still haven't convinced Hillary to die. I mean, drop out.
        • VegaObscura3, on 04/13/2008, -0/+5We even tried firing at her with snipers!
      • lookaway, on 04/13/2008, -1/+4yeah because the common cold is just 1 simple strain that isn't endlessly mutating
      • jopache1, on 04/13/2008, -0/+11Wrong:

        http://digg.com/general_sciences/Hot_Sex_Cures_the ...
    • MasterPlayer, on 04/13/2008, -0/+7Seriously though, the ***** is with all these "cures"? Why do they never seem to garner the heavy media coverage they should, and why aren't they being employed on everyone with these horrible diseases?
      • Robbothehood, on 04/13/2008, -0/+6None of the "cures" have panned out it would seem.
        • TheDiggin, on 04/20/2008, -0/+1Or maybe we dont want some i am legend ***** on are hands
    • Pillage, on 04/13/2008, -1/+3Cured by marijuana no less.
    • Pritchard, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3Oh, there's a lot of cures out there, but the testing process for these curers is long and difficult. Not to mention that when people fail to get further funding, they tend to hold on to their patents and whatnot. It's not just large corporations which do this, but scientists in general tend to be complete patent-whores. Probably because the market's so competitive and research is expensive.
    • Mpwns, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Alzheimer's cured on digg? i dont think so every day i see stories on the front page that been there before some more than once.
  • carpespasm, on 04/13/2008, -1/+24It's possible. There are many kinds of brain problems that are often very similar in effect to Alzheimer's that can be cured to a great extent pretty quickly (normal pressure hydrocephali comes to mind). Here's to hoping that this is at least a strong help for those who deal with this terrible disease.
    • greenlight2001, on 04/13/2008, -0/+6This is not a 'cure'... it will not undo the physical changes that take place in the brain of an Alzheimer's patient. It will not remove the amyloid plaques, it will not replace lost brain mass, it will not reconnect the lost neuronal connection. If it helps even a little, then great, I'm all for it, but this is FAR from a cure. I believe in the next 20 years we will see a 'preventative' solution, something that will greatly slow the disease progress or even hold it off completely but I do not believe we will ever (next 100 years) see a process to reverse the full effects of Alzheimer's once it has already happened. Alzheimer's is a lot more complex then a normal pressure hydrocephali. Are you scared of getting Alzheimer's? Eat well, exercise and keep you mind engaged and challenged all through your life. There's some evidence that it will slow down the effects if you are programmed to get it.
      • carpespasm, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Thats all very much true, which is why I avoided calling anything this treatment a possible cure. I was referring to the other similar mental degenerative diseased for which there are cures for. Your points are definitely good ones to remember though. Eat your veggies and question everything.
      • atchon, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2I agree whole heartedly that this is not a cure. I disagree with the statement that Alzheimer's is not reversible there are a couple of promising Beta Amyloid breakers in varies stages of trials that do just that. If you can disturb the aggregation you remove the plaques which may not be the entire problem, but is a good portion of it. We know it is possible to disrupt beta sheets of insulin and amyloid, I actually do research on just this. The thing is getting a plausible concentration and one which works in the body.
        • greenlight2001, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1But as you probably know, plaques are not the only problem. I had not heard of the trials you mentioned, I will surely look into them, but there is a LONG way to go to reverse all the pathology that come along with Alzheimer's. It may very well never happen. That's why i said I think in 20 years we will see preventative measures that will blunt the effects of the disease.
  • Persian5Life, on 04/13/2008, -2/+22i really want to hug the guy/girl who found this out, a lot of lives are going to be impacted my this drug.
    • Persian5Life, on 04/13/2008, -0/+11i meant to say by*, i was overtaken by joy. someone important to me has Alzheimer.
    • whyufail, on 04/13/2008, -1/+4A lot of lives MIGHT be impacted by this drug. This is assuming like many other treatments it doesn't just get ignored/swept under the rug.
      • Robbothehood, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1You left out "doesn't work," which is the only way a "cure" for Alzheimers would disappear.
        • apophenic, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Dugg up for not being a member of the ***** tinfoil hat brigade.
  • oatdc, on 04/13/2008, -1/+30my great uncle has alzheimer's, and if this could become relatively mainstream within a couple years that would be a welcome relief to my family. here's to hope that it works!
    • formergthing, on 04/13/2008, -3/+14Unfortunately even if it works - if we're just doing clinical trials now we're probably 10 years out on having a publically available cure.

      On the bright side, nuclear holocaust will probably happen before then, so it won't matter anyway.
  • mononokematrix, on 04/13/2008, -17/+1I call dibbs on playing Will Smith when the apocalypse comes & %99 of life is cast into the shadows
  • dxgg, on 04/13/2008, -2/+64Anybody read Flowers for Algernon?
    • dho331, on 04/13/2008, -19/+0Exactly my thoughts when I first heard about this on Kudlow. However, it's mostly for old people so who cares.
      • dxgg, on 04/13/2008, -0/+10I hope you didn't digg me up...I don't accept kudos from idiots.
    • fatTJ, on 04/13/2008, -1/+8That was a great book, until they mutilated it with the movie
      • Lutremi, on 04/13/2008, -0/+4We had to watch that in English class. Our teacher actually had us write down the stuff that was different from the book as the assignment.
      • ElBeh, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3For the year that the film was made in, it was pretty good. But I agree that it wasn't even close to the novel.
    • jinxplayer, on 04/13/2008, -1/+0Yeah i read it, but its kinda different, wouldnt you think?
  • BelatedHero, on 04/13/2008, -1/+8Funny. I just watched that episode of the x-files where the orderly was treating the old people in a convalescent home with mushrooms. This sounds more promising.
  • JergoR, on 04/13/2008, -1/+2http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/hea ...
  • ileftfark, on 04/13/2008, -2/+4FTA: "Around 50 people are being treated by the Institute of Neurological Research, a private clinic in California, with some having had injections for three years."

    Wait, what?
    • Rapter09, on 04/13/2008, -0/+5I don't get how they've been experimenting on people, but still don't have "Clinical Trials". Shouldn't real doctors already be doing clinical trials *while* they inject people with this stuff?
      • Brainmodder, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1In other words they are still doing research to make sure that it really works and doesn't kill you or turn you into zombies, so they don't get sued.
      • spectecjr, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1It's called off-label drug usage. Pretty common; and acceptable risk in a lot of cases, because the drug has already been screened for another usage, so we know the side effects. Your health insurance usually won't cover it though.
        • Nudar, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Off-label drug usage is when you use a drug for a non-FDA approved indication BUT people in the medical community generally recognize that it can be used for said indication. What's being described in the article is a lot more fishy.
    • Ragarnok, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1That's the daily mail for you allright
  • diggdiggerid, on 04/13/2008, -2/+109This would be more promising if it was published in a peer-reviewed journal instead of a tabloid.
    • saxreturns, on 04/13/2008, -0/+27http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/AlzheimersDi ...
    • jmpeagle, on 04/13/2008, -0/+16http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/5/1/2/ab ...

      Journal of Neuroinflammation 2008, 5:2doi:10.1186/1742-2094-5-2
      Published: 9 January 2008

      Abstract

      Substantial basic science and clinical evidence suggests that excess tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is centrally involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In addition to its pro-inflammatory functions, TNF-alpha has recently been recognized to be a gliotransmitter that regulates synaptic function in neural networks. TNF-alpha has also recently been shown to mediate the disruption in synaptic memory mechanisms, which is caused by beta-amyloid and beta-amyloid oligomers. The efficacy of etanercept, a biologic antagonist of TNF-alpha, delivered by perispinal administration, for treatment of Alzheimer's disease over a period of six months has been previously reported in a pilot study. This report details rapid cognitive improvement, beginning within minutes, using this same anti-TNF treatment modality, in a patient with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Rapid cognitive improvement following perispinal etanercept may be related to amelioration of the effects of excess TNF-alpha on synaptic mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease and provides a promising area for additional investigation and therapeutic intervention.
      • Brainmodder, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Well, if they give you TNF antagonists for too long, might this result in brain cancer?
  • unomeasjon, on 04/13/2008, -13/+3Wow, This is seriously the gre- Oh wait its 8pm .. Porno time.
  • RaDeus, on 04/13/2008, -2/+6nobelprize winner if this pans out, but i imagine the injection hurts as much as a spinal-tap...
    • libertinette, on 04/13/2008, -0/+11If I had to choose between that level of pain and not knowing my own family, I would choose the physical pain every time.
      • credence, on 04/13/2008, -0/+11Knowing my family *is* physical pain. Thank you, you've been a terrible audience.
    • linagee, on 04/13/2008, -2/+5don't worry. if you had alzheimers, you wouldn't remember a thing!
    • KLowD9x, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1We've got Armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening.
  • TheIguana, on 04/13/2008, -3/+10As soon as I saw all of the gossip on the right side of the page, this article lost all credability. How can I take this article seriously when there is headline about Britney Spears being depressed right next to it.
    • Isandunk, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3Its the Daily Mail - what do you expect?
      • TheSuperunknown, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0Apparently, despite Daily Mail's frequent front page appearances, nobody's caught on to the fact that its a tabloid.
  • noseeme, on 04/13/2008, -1/+4The have actually been using Enbrel in Alzheimer's patients for a few years now. They have also found it to be effective treatment for some in a broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases.
    • noseeme, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Oh yeah, did I mention the doctor that is leading these studies at UCLA is a total crackpot and has no respect from neurologists?
  • superyounan1, on 04/13/2008, -1/+10oh please let this go on to be or spawn an official treatment for Alzheimer's, there is nothing more scary to me than the loss of one's dignity and control like this
    • krnldmp, on 04/13/2008, -3/+1First you ***** yourself a couple times a day like a little baby, then you die.
  • thatkindofguy, on 04/13/2008, -2/+2I can't remember the last time I read something so interesting :D
  • Lixie, on 04/13/2008, -1/+7Hopefully this means Terry Pratchett will be able to continue his career longer.
    • Tr3vor, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1Terry Pratchett has alzheimers? ugh had no idea thats really sad. i throughly enjoy is books
    • jimbodie, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1That's funny. When I first saw just the headline (before reading the article), the first thing I thought of was, "I wonder if this could benefit Terry Pratchett." I certainly hope so, I really like his books!
  • JoeBaynham, on 04/13/2008, -1/+2http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiRHyzjb5SI A really sad short film to show how much Alzheimer's can affect someone.
  • NikoK, on 04/13/2008, -11/+2Can this help fix my weed riddled memory?
    • atact88, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0you want a pill to fix you up after smoking weed?
    • AmericansRevolt, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1weed doesnt destruct your memory it just allows your head take thoughts in and throw them out the other ear. stop smokin the ganj and magically youll actually take those thoughts in and they will be stored.
      • theMADone, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1thats not strictly true, i smoked a little at school and college but got way too into it at uni, now ive cut right back again and are back in the real world ive got some pretty big gaps in my memory from weed. especially glastonbury 2004 ^^
        • stfucupcake, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1you didn't need to remember that stuff anyway so no worries.
  • TheFinaleofSeem, on 04/13/2008, -2/+19Don't get your hopes up, guys. This is the Daily Mail we're talking about. I'll believe it when I see some coverage from a real news source, not those sensationalist hacks.
  • zspade, on 04/13/2008, -1/+3FTA: "The treatment involves injecting a drug called Enbrel - which is normally used to treat arthritis"
    Enbrel has been around since 1998. Arthritis and Alzheimer's effect primarily the same age range, and I'm sure many people who had Alzheimer's were getting this medication for their Arthritis. Did it really take 10 years for them to make this connection?
    That said, really great news.
    • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2It's all in the application.
    • spectecjr, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Trick is, it has to be injected into the spinal column. There's this thing called the blood-brain barrier that prevents drugs from getting there unless you breach it and do it directly.

      So they might have seen some effects, but they were probably pretty minor in comparison to - well - mainlining it onto the right side of the wall.
      • apophenic, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1You don't need to inject things into the spine to get drugs past the BBB, they just need to be lipophilic enough.
  • unomeasjon, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0Tell me, what happens to the excess TNF build up?
    "Note to self: Dont forget to get milk bread and eg-"
    Well you know what happens next.. They guy falls back into Alzheimers...
    • KLowD9x, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1So, what you're saying is, just like the common cold the only thing we have done is covered up the symptoms of the disease without really curing it?

      As long as we can keep the symptoms subdued, I don't think it really matters if it is just a mask for now. Soon there will be better treatments.
    • Robbothehood, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0It's a TNF antagonist, it shouldn't induce a build-up. The turnover should be the same.
  • AnnikaAmethyst, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Anybody seen the movie "Awakenings" with Robin Williams? This story reminds me of it. Hopefully it won't end like it.
  • Vektuz, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1Ugh... Alzheimer's has many different flavors. Some of them are actual brain material degeneration. You aren't going to fix that by some drug - those neurons are destroyed long ago. However, there are some types which are more 'somethings blocking the functioning' rather than degeneration. Thats the area where it might help
    • Robbothehood, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0he researchers are aware, but I;m sure you weren't trying to educate them.
  • seantubridy, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1If this proves to be effective, that's wonderful news. It's been my understanding that much of the damage is irreversible but if it useful in the early stages, that's great. I watched my proud and loving grandmother deteriorate because of it. It was horrible to watch and I'm sure infinitely more horrible to experience.
  • AmericansRevolt, on 04/13/2008, -3/+1L-Dopamine anyone?
  • handler, on 04/13/2008, -3/+3Even if this really does work, medical companies would not want this out in the open, because they would lose money off the medicines which are for Dietabities and Alzheimer's. The sad reality.
    • jmpeagle, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3uh...this is a treatment, not a cure...the bread and butter of pharmaceuticals. This would make Amgen and Wyeth (joint patent holders) lots of money before their patent goes off in 2015. Imagine the huge boom in the senior population from the ageing baby boomer generation's demand for this product.
  • jmpeagle, on 04/13/2008, -2/+9just some background info...not passing judgement on conflict of interests or anything

    I did a little digging and the head researcher Edward Tobinick, M.D. mentioned in this article owns stock in Amgen, the manufacturer of Etanercept (trade name Enbrel), and has multiple issued and pending patents assigned to TACT IP LLC that describe the parenteral and perispinal use of etanercept for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, including, but not limited to, U.S. patents 6015557, 6177077, 6419934, 6419944, 6537549, 6982089, 7214658 and Australian patent 758523.
    • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1Thanks for that, but it is still one to follow
    • gryphon50, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1that is pretty savvy of you to research it like that. It's an important fact to note, let's hope it is a genuinek solution anyway...
    • ScottKeeler, on 04/13/2008, -2/+6"I did a little digging and..."

      I think what you meant to say was you went to one other website, stole their content and claimed it as your own:

      http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/08010 ...
      "Author Hyman Gross, M.D., has no competing interests. Author Edward Tobinick, M.D. owns stock in Amgen, the manufacturer of etanercept, and has multiple issued and pending patents assigned to TACT IP LLC that describe the parenteral and perispinal use of etanercept for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, including, but not limited to, U.S. patents 6015557, 6177077, 6419934, 6419944, 6537549, 6982089, 7214658 and Australian patent 758523."
      • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Hey! when he gets paid as a researcher then you can bury him, until then, of his back!
      • jmpeagle, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2the article you attempted to link to is where I got my info from by digging arounf articles with that dudes name in it along with the mentioned study. How is that different from what I said in my original post? You know by searching for info, most people mean using Google right?
  • Stone420, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1Wow Like the Movie Awakenings.
    A really touching movie based on a true story

    Here is a short clip from it
    http://www.2.0web.tv/index.php?option=com_seyret&t ...
  • HaSatan, on 04/13/2008, -5/+9News Reporter: So what you are saying is that you've cured Alzheimers?
    Scientist: Yes. We have.

    Flash forward 2 years later to a desolate and abandoned New York city. The only survivors are Will Smith and a pack of Zombie-Vampires with really good memory.
  • avatarpalin, on 04/13/2008, -0/+5Great news for Terry Pratchett fans...


  • Torx, on 04/13/2008, -0/+7Another month, another Alzheimer's cure... When are we ever going to see these cures in actuality?? I want my grandmother to remember me before she passes and it would be nice to have this soon.
    • Robbothehood, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0When they actually work, it is a difficult thing to treat.
    • spectecjr, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1If you want something that will work similarly, then give her a batch of this with food:
      * L-Lysine & Vitamin C, 3mg twice daily.
      * Curcumin - you want quite a big dosage of this. about 600mg total curcuminoids, twice daily
      * Resveratrol - 100mg twice daily
      * A good vitamin B complex with the cyanocobalmin form of B12.
      * CoQ10
      * Omega 3 fatty acids - 3000mg, twice daily.

      All of these combined will have an effect that is like the Enbrel, just in much reduced form. And it might help. (Do the research on all of these and Tumor Necrosis Factors on Google - stick to pubmed though).

      AND... avoid chocolate, nuts in her diet.
  • Dustin00, on 04/13/2008, -0/+13Just a crazy thought: at 82, if it works with some random, minor side effects, do you care about any negative side?
  • Sicarius, on 04/13/2008, -5/+1I would have left a witty comment but I've forgotten what they story was about.
  • junkwheel, on 04/13/2008, -1/+2There's a lot of daily mail readers on Digg.
  • SirDaShadow, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2Enbrel is also used for psoriasis and it works very well...right now it is very expensive if you don't have medical insurance (think $1000 per shot).
  • thatsoccerkid, on 04/13/2008, -2/+3HMO s will not like this!
  • bwebb, on 04/13/2008, -1/+2This news is actually a little old but I'm glad it's getting front page recognition. I don't trust anything from Daily Mail but I found a more informative article from a more reputable source:

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/08010 ...
    • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3Thanks, just read it and submitted it to Digg but had already been submitted. This confuses the hell out of me on how Digg works, this Daily Mail story gets 533 hits from this story and only 3 from the Daily Scientist with virtually the same headline, go figure.
  • antechinus, on 04/13/2008, -8/+7I call absolute *****. A brain with Alzheimer's has an altered physical structure. There is no way that five minutes after taking the snake oil these structural changes have been reversed.
    • krnldmp, on 04/13/2008, -5/+2Whoever buried your comment is a Total jackass. Any old idiot that's seen a scanned image of a late stage Alzheimer's brain would know that you ain't gonna fix that in minutes. Not with a "drug" anyway.
    • carpespasm, on 04/13/2008, -0/+3You can't restore the lost brain mass, but there are also many cases where brains that would be considered seriously degraded and alzeimic belonged to people who were otherwise very healthy and aware. I doubt the 5 minute claim as well, but there is likely a large benefit that can be had if the difference between a person who's functionally fine but has a very pruney looking brain and someone who's displaying alzeimers can be figured out and used to help the alzeimers patient.
  • RealDealRick, on 04/13/2008, -2/+4This drug will disappear once the pharmaceutical companies get a hold of it. They want a drug that you have to be dependent on for the rest of your life.
    • atchon, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0The drug is already made by pharmaceutical companies.
    • aelias, on 04/13/2008, -0/+1They'll find out it works, but shockingly enough, not permanently. They'll sell you three hours of lucidity with grandma for 1000$.
  • Slagtits, on 04/13/2008, -2/+1After my kids getting terminally sick or hooked on drugs, this is my greatest fear.
  • straylight08, on 04/13/2008, -1/+2Alzheimer's is first and foremost caused by long fibres of protein aggregates. These fibres stay in the brain permanently, because the cells can't break them down. It is these amyloid fibrils which destroy the brain of an Alz patient. The drug they are talking about here is only really a TRUE cure if it is capable of breaking these amyloid fibrils apart and/or preventing further fibrils from forming.

    If it does not do any of the above, then I'm afraid it's just temporary relief, NOT a cure! Unless you can solve the amyloid problem, the patient is going to carry on getting worse!
    • sallywally14, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0So a treatment would be better than nothing, in comparison.
    • spectecjr, on 04/13/2008, -0/+2It prevents further fibrils from forming because it removes the signal that tells HSV-1 to replicate (the virus is disrupting protein formation, due to one or two faulty genes combined with its own replication mechanisms). Do a search on "coldsores and alzheimer's" for more info.
  • Metasquares, on 04/13/2008, -1/+1Ah, yes, I remember this development. It was the one everyone was skeptical about because the sample size was too small. I had made a whole argument using utility theory about why it makes more sense to test the drug rather than block it because of methodological problems (that is, problems that were not with the idea itself). Fortunately, if they are now calling for clinical trials, the skeptics must have lost.

    Do you ever wonder how many breakthroughs never saw the light of day because of close-mindedness? The penalty for pursuing a bad idea is much less than that for rejecting a good one.
    • toejamz, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0With extraordinary claims come extraordinary burdens of proof. In the US, we'd reject a vaccine that saves 10/1000 people but kills 1/1000 with skin disorders. Poorer countries are less picky. Get over it.

      Go to India or Mexico if you want drugs that aren't legalized in the USA. But if you want a drug that's pretty much guaranteed to not kill you, go to the USA.

      Pick your poison.
  • jbetancourt, on 04/13/2008, -0/+0some more info and links are here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enbrel
  • gusdimi, on 04/13/2008, -0/+4Here's a second opinion on this research, from the Alzheimer's Research Trust:
    http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk/news/article ...
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