Alzheimer's Disease study article
http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom...hyforlife/2303.shtml

http://www.alzforum.org/drg/drc/detail.asp?id=112

The study is being conducted here in San Diego at UCSD, as well as at Rush. We were approached to participate. After giving it very careful consideration, I declined.

This is a gene therapy approach, using a virus as a "vector" to deliver the gene into the brain cells. While this is often done in a petri dish, there are some serious questions about its safety in a human brain.

To deliver the drug into the brain, holes about the size of a quarter are drilled through the skull, and then fine needles are inserted into the precise areas of the brain where the drug is to be injected. In the Phase I study, they used only a local anesthetic. It was my understanding that the first two patients died, although AlzForum says only one died, while the other had subcortical hemorrhage that resulted in "exacerbation of dementia-associated aphasia". It was thought that the reason for the hemorrhaging was that the patients moved during the injections. All subsequent tests are being done under general anesthesia. There are, of course, concerns about the potential impact of general anesthesia on dementia patients, although I did not find very much to support such concerns in the studies I found that have been done on the subject.

Six patients were successfully given the drug. Two of them had improved MMSE scores, while the others had significantly slower cognitive decline than prior to receiving the treatment. It was my understanding that the scientists do not know how long the treatment might continue to work. Theoretically, if the genes are successfully taken up by the neurons and the growth factor is expressed, it should last as long as the neuron continues to function properly. But as far as I know, scientists don't know whether the treatment actually stops the cascade of AD pathology.

Since my husband was (and still is) holding pretty steady, and since the initial results did not appear to indicate dramatic improvement, I was not willing to subject him to such a drastic procedure which seemed to me to pose a lot of risk.

I have been watching for results from this study with a great deal of interest, however.

There is so much to consider when considering study participation. Thank you for your input, JAB.

JAB,

Thanks again for all your hard work. You're always up to date on everything. Its wonderful how much you know and share.

You're a peach!