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Bill McCartney diagnosed with late-onset dementia/Alzheimer's

buffaholic said:
There is also some sort of link with Down's syndrome. Essentially CU noticed that nearly 100% of Down Syndrome cases get Early onset Alzheimers, and are working to understand the genetics involved with that. I remember Dr. Potter discussing this at the seminar I went to.

People with Down syndrome are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, which carries the APP gene. This gene produces a specific protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP). Too much APP protein leads to a buildup of protein clumps called beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. By age 40, almost all people with Down syndrome have these plaques, along with other protein deposits, called tau tangles, which cause problems with how brain cells function and increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia.
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Jesus. Those unfortunate enough to have down syndrome also are more susceptible to getting Alzheimer's?? That's so sad.
 
buffaholic said:
I heard about this last summer at a seminar - my Mom is in the middle stages here. I submitted her app to be part of the study and never heard back....

The next phase of study will last 2-3 years. Here's my deal: My Mom doesn't have 2-3 years. Leukine is already FDA approved for cancer. She is dying of this damn disease. Why not let her try it?
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They are still enrolling, I've been in touch with them today. Eligibility requirements here.
 
DBT said:
I'm skeptical. I mean, the news is encouraging but they still have a way to go before we can anoint this as a "cure."
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BuffLuKe said:
Maybe it's not a cure yet, could be the start of one.
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Luke is right, it may not be a "cure" but for a lot of people it may be hope, and that is huge. Even if it slows down the development of the disease significantly that is a huge improvement over the current helplessness that many families feel as they see the body of someone they love and realize that the mind is going away.
 
Buffsrock85 said:
Jesus. Those unfortunate enough to have down syndrome also are more susceptible to getting Alzheimer's?? That's so sad.
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My little sister who has Down's is showing a lot of symptoms. We are entering a whole new world with Down's people since in the past few of them lived long enough for these things to show up. It sounds like a whole bunch of different things are coming together at once that may change the outlook for the better. That is a huge thing even if it takes a few more years to bring it into general availability.
 
MtnBuff said:
Luke is right, it may not be a "cure" but for a lot of people it may be hope, and that is huge. Even if it slows down the development of the disease significantly that is a huge improvement over the current helplessness that many families feel as they see the body of someone they love and realize that the mind is going away.
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Exactly, maybe it'll give them something to work off of until they fix the whole damn thing. Gotta have a beginning to get to an end. Same with Aids and all other awful ****.
 
buff4bcs1985 said:
I know its part of the the trial process and is necessary, but The whole placebo portion saddens me...People getting zero treatment, when they think they are...
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And to build on what goalline said, trials do stop early if there is an undeniable positive effect (the placebo arm then would receive the treatment).
 
buffaholic said:
I heard about this last summer at a seminar - my Mom is in the middle stages here. I submitted her app to be part of the study and never heard back....

The next phase of study will last 2-3 years. Here's my deal: My Mom doesn't have 2-3 years. Leukine is already FDA approved for cancer. She is dying of this damn disease. Why not let her try it?
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I wonder if you could score that stuff in Mexico?
 
buffaholic said:
I heard about this last summer at a seminar - my Mom is in the middle stages here. I submitted her app to be part of the study and never heard back....

The next phase of study will last 2-3 years. Here's my deal: My Mom doesn't have 2-3 years. Leukine is already FDA approved for cancer. She is dying of this damn disease. Why not let her try it?
Click to expand...

You hit one of the problems in the current system. They won't do things like this for fear of being sued.

Maybe they need to change things to allow patients and their families the option to use approved drugs for non-approved therapies with the understanding that they waive any and all right to sue based on the use of those drugs. We now allow terminal patients the legal right to end their lives, why not give the hope that they might live instead? If it doesn't work it isn't going to change her outcome anyways.
 
"The cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer's and Dementia is now more than Cancer and Heart Disease. It's now America's most expensive disease."

From the Ch. 9 report posted above. And this is only going to get worse. It's a public health crisis and we've been pretty hopeless. No real treatment, pretty much trying to keep people comfortable and safe in a facility while they fade away. So sad.
 
Buffnik said:
"The cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer's and Dementia is now more than Cancer and Heart Disease. It's now America's most expensive disease."

From the Ch. 9 report posted above. And this is only going to get worse. It's a public health crisis and we've been pretty hopeless. No real treatment, pretty much trying to keep people comfortable and safe in a facility while they fade away. So sad.
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Not trying to be insensitive to people who have been affected by this disease, but personally, I would rather die than put my family/friends or myself through that.
 
TSchekler said:
Not trying to be insensitive to people who have been affected by this disease, but personally, I would rather die than put my family/friends or myself through that.
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I think a lot of people feel that way, with different tipping points in terms of when it would be too far progressed to want to go on. I went through that with my grandmother in late stage Alzheimer's. Visits regressed to the point of her not recognizing my dad or anyone else at all and most of the visit being him trying to gently keep her from harming herself from a repetitive tick she'd developed where she'd keep picking at and pulling the skin off her lips. I know that my parents would much prefer me putting a pillow over their faces than to allow them to get to that point.
 
Buffnik said:
I think a lot of people feel that way, with different tipping points in terms of when it would be too far progressed to want to go on. I went through that with my grandmother in late stage Alzheimer's. Visits regressed to the point of her not recognizing my dad or anyone else at all and most of the visit being him trying to gently keep her from harming herself from a repetitive tick she'd developed where she'd keep picking at and pulling the skin off her lips. I know that my parents would much prefer me putting a pillow over their faces than to allow them to get to that point.
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Its scary **** man. I checked on my dad everyday coming home from work. He didn't know who I was till my mom told him, then he opened up some. He died of cancer but I'm not sure it wasn't more than that. My guess is that it was.
 
Buffnik said:
Yep. Type of thing that would win a Nobel Prize. Royalties back to the university and the prestige gained from this if it gets approved would be monumental. Bio/Chem/Pharma research at CU could become an absolute cash cow.
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1. Pharma lobbyist gets bill introduced that requires CU sell drug to his company for $1.
2. ????
3. Profit
 
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