An Alzheimer’s vaccine may be available in our lifetime! Results from a small study have shown that people are responding positively to a Phase II trial.
The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known. As you know, it causes memory loss and cognitive decline. If you’ve ever loved someone who was suffering from this unspeakably wicked disease, you know how brutal it is. It robs a person of who they are and it breaks the hearts of their families. There is no cure… yet. But a new vaccine now entering Phase III trials looks very, very promising. Here’s what you need to know.
Facts About the Alzheimer’s Vaccine
Currently, you cannot walk into a doctor’s office and ask to get the vaccine. I want to be clear about that. However, you shouldn’t be surprised if it happens sooner than you ever hoped.
Researchers believe Alzheimer’s patients have plaques containing beta-amyloid, a sticky brain protein which forms in the brain. (You’ll forgive me if my explanation isn’t the best. Not a doctor!)
But what United Neuroscience, the folks behind the research, believes they have found is a vaccine that appears to improve brain function and reduce the protein plaque gumming up their neurons.
“We are doing better than the placebo on all these things,” said United Neuroscience CEO Mei Mei Hu to Bloomberg News. “We can’t make any claims yet, but we’re pointing in all the right directions.”
In fact, there was a small United clinical trial that showed that a whopping 96 percent of patients responded, without serious side effects, to the Alzheimer’s vaccine they call UB-311. That’s incredible! It’s a small study, but it gives me hope and it should give you hope as well. (Read more about it here.) The company is beginning Phase III studies now.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
If a loved one is exhibiting these symptoms to the point that you feel concern, take them as soon as possible to see a doctor who specializes in dementia.
The very first signs of Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information. Don’t freak out, though. We all have problems in that area from time to time.
Read about all the other symptoms so you can get a full picture of what to look for. The information below was found on the Alzheimer’s Association website. I encourage you to visit the site to learn more.
1. Memory loss that interferes in everyday living. Asking for the same information over and over is one example.
2. Challenges in planning or problem-solving. They may have trouble following a recipe or managing bills.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks. One example would be forgetting how to play a game they’ve always loved.
4. Folks might be confused about the passage of time. Sometimes they forget where they are.
5. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast.
Alzheimer’s Vaccine: “This is still the beginning of the beginning.”
-Eric Reiman, Alzheimer’s researcher
6. Following or joining a conversation may be problematic. There may be trouble with their vocabulary or calling things the wrong names. Like calling wheels on a car round things, or a watch a hand clock.
7. Misplacing things and being unable to retrace their steps to find them. They often complain that their things were stolen.
8. Poor judgment and personal care. Patients may not shower as much and unfortunately, they may be swindled easily by folks after their money. (Like telemarketers.)
9. Sufferers commonly withdraw and stop doing the things they once loved to do.
10. Their moods and personalities may change. Folks may be super irritable when their plans change or they are outside their comfort zone.
In closing…
Do you love someone with Alzheimer’s? Have you ever worried about yourself? We’d love to hear your experiences and wisdom on the subject, so please join in the conversation in the comments.
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170 comments on “Everything You Need to Know About the Alzheimer’s Vaccine Studies”
What people don’t realize that this is listed as the 6th leading cause of death in the US, however when you look at the first 5 on the list they “categories”of illnesses vs. one single illness such as Alzheimers. As the brain becomes diseased over a very slow prolonged duration (average 6 – 10 years) it not only takes away memory and cognitive abilities – it also greatly regresses all bodily functions to include sensory perceptions, mobility, mental state, incontinance, skin, teeth, breathing, immune system, eating, incontinence, seizures, and much much more – so it is NOT JUST A THEIF OF MEMORY. Advancement in finding a prevention or cure in different types of Cancer and Heart diseases for example is lowering the numbers of deaths for these two categories of disease mostly due to the surmountable amount of funds and research available – where the numbers of diagnoses and death for those with Alzheimers is rising rapidly – only recently are people realizing the need for more research and funds to do so. It is an illness beyond words to describe – and one that effects society in such ways unimaginable. Here are two links that support my comments – so don’t take my word for it. Alzheimers in and of itself is probably the number one single cause of death if the truth be known – or at at least far higher on the list – yet it is the most socially accepted illness that many associate with just a result of getting older. Which is also a false assumption – for it is now being recognized to impact increasingly number of people in their 50’s as well. https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures-infographic-2019.pdf – also see https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php#stroke-and-cerebrovascular-diseases. Until it hits home with you – many don’t know the facts, the devastation on society, and don’t see the importance of finding the cure. An illness our nation is so ill-equipped to support when it happens….leaving caregivers subject to further impacting illnesses, and loved one living in nursing homes that are not properly managed and often cruel and neglected. Anyone reading this article really needs to better understand the significance of this illness and potential to find prevention and more importantly cure for Alzheimers, or soon you too will see the cruelty of this disease in a very direct and personal way that no one can imagine.
I lost my mom to this ugly disease in September 2019. I wish this would have come sooner. This horrible disease takes our loved ones away from us twice which makes it even worse. I hope this cure works for the future. I will accept this vaccine when it becomes available. Miss my mom horribly
Please please keep testing ! My husband died 10 years ago
, he had Alzheimer’s for four years. It’s such a horrendous
Disease…it’s like he died twice.
I pray a vaccine will become available in my lifetime.
It runs in my family like crazy. I’m a prime candidate and worry about my kids watching their dad lose his mind. Praying for programs like this to make serious progress.
My dad has Alzheimer’s and I have to say it’s the worst thing I have ever endured. Watching him fade away daily, seeing him look into space, him thinking he is smiling when he isn’t, him not knowing things he should. What worse is that he thinks he has nothing wrong at all. I pray to God this becomes available yesterday and my dad could be one to reap the benefits. Some days I feel as if I am forgetting things and I am only 51. Keep on developing this and I will pray it works.
I care for my Mum who is in the middle stage of alzheimers. Some days it really is a case of the long ru ning comedy Mother and Son, except in our case it’s Mother and daughter. Recently Mum had lost her purse, so she called 000 the emergency services to help her! I was able to call the police a few hours later when I found out what she had done and they did have her down on their list to do a welfare check later in the day. BTW, the purse was easily found. Couldn’t find her purse but remembered the emergency number to call.
Both my parents have Alzheimer’s. My mom who is 87 was diagnosed 2 years ago & my dad about the same time. He is 89. I do worry that I will also have this disease. I’m 59 & caring for them both in my home. It can be rough at times, but I wouldn’t change anything. I love my parents very much & want them to be comfortable & feel loved.
I wish this vaccine would’ve been introduced 5 years ago. My mother has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia with progressive aphasia. This disease destroys families, hopes and dreams, and makes memories heartbreaking. If this vaccine is the closest thing to having hope, please don’t hold out on those who would benefit.
Been caring for my 67 year old brother for the past few years. He has Corticobasil Dementia and I would love to see him treated with anything that could possibly help. It’s been a terrible journey watching him lose everything. He’s in a nursing home now, close to me, I feed him every night and wish he could be himself once again. Absolutely the worst disease ever to inhabit a loved one! Prayers for all the families dealing with this burden.
A cure would be absolutely amazing. My mom is relatively young and while I know her mom also had this disease along with many of her other family members I just never expected this to happen so early on in her life. I worry now about if this will happen to me or my siblings at yet an even younger age. This disease is horrible for both the patient and all of their family members and close friends. Sadly my mom has FTD and we started noticing issues shortly before her 60th birthday. Since then it seems things are declining fast. It is awful to miss someone who is still physically here and people just don’t understand how difficult this is unless you have faced this in your own family. Praying for a cure every day.
My husband’s family has Alzheimer’s running rampant in it. He has lost his grandma at age 61, dad at age 59, uncle 61 that was kept alive on life support, 2 cousins before they were 60, a brother at 56 years old and a sister in November that was 53, this is a awful disease. Most of his family started showing signs by the time they were between 35-40 years old.
Our father has early onset Alzheimer’s. It’s a horrible horrible disease that affects EVERYONE in the family. I wish my dad could get this vaccine but I know it’s too late. I really hope it becomes available soon for anyone else , including myself and my family, who very well may get alzheimers one day.
I pray that this vaccine will be out soon. I lost my Grandmother to Alzheimers and my father has Dementia. My heart breaks everyday and I feel hopeless. I wish there was something I could do to let him once again be the father I remember, so full of life, jack of all trades and his sweet funny stories. He has been cheated……WE have been cheated !! And YES I do worry about the future of myself as well as other family member. It truly is a horrible illness that robs a person slowly day by day of who they once were as their loved ones sadly stand by helpless.
My mother is 87, she has been in a nursing home for 5 years. It was heart breaking to put her in a home. There were 11 children in her family, eight of them died with Alzheimer’s. My mother doesn’t know who I am anymore, but I go and see her every other day. I still know that there is love there for both of us. I am 68 and fear of getting the disease. I would love to be apart of any study to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Please keep me posted on the UR-311. Thanks
Many of my moms family have died as a result of complications stemming from Alzheimer’s. My mom and 3 of her sisters have it , the oldest of which died from it. If something like this vaccine can become a reality in the near future it would mean so much to me because at 54 I’m terrified to what could happen to me in 20 years from now . I just wish it could have helped her.
My precious sister in law as has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s! Her husband is her primary care giver! She is worsening everyday! It wont be long before she has to be placed in a long term care facility! I pray that this vaccine comes very fast! Also my Father is showing signs of Dementia, so far he is living alone and takes care of himself, but I know the day is coming for him to not be able to take care of his every day needs! Please hurry with this vaccine, so many families and love ones lives depend on it!
Thank you so much!
My husband has dementia. His mother died with it as well as his sister. His brother now has it also.he has trouble knowing where rooms are in our own home . Gets very irritated when we travel to our daughters home in Texas he feels lost. No showers or hair washing orvtreth brushing. Doesn’t like to change clothes. It’s a challenge for me. He isn’t the man I married for sure. It’s a struggle some days to not cry . It’s scarey .being a caregiver is not easy and it’s lonely. Friends say they would like to help but they stay away.
My mother has Alzheimers/ dementia has had it for 10 years. One of her sisters had it and we took care of her and now my mom. I see alot of the same thing and the my mother is getting in to the mean mean stages later in the evening.
My mother has 2 sisters that have psssed away from Alzheimers and my mom and 2 more sisters are showing signs or diagnosed with Alzheimers. One of my 3 uncles has been diagnosed with dementia.
My wife who is 67 has frontal lobe dementia she used to talk about the past but has stopped doing that now. She now had no short term memory and will repeat the same conversation in a loop .she is unable to remember the fabulous holidays we had .my wife seems to have a double whammy no long or short term memory.