Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation (including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, self-neglect, and behavioral issues. As a person's condition declines, they often withdraw from family and society. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. Although the speed of progression can vary, the typical life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years. The cause of Alzheimer's disease is poorly understood.

Quotes

• All the available safety information indicates that lecanemab therapy is not associated with an increased risk of death overall
  • Eisai Heralded Alzheimer’s drug works — but safety concerns loom. Eisai and Biogen share clinical trial data confirming that lecanemab slows mental decline amid reports of potentially related deaths. (NEWS 30 November 2022)

• VWe know that 25 per cent of women in the UK are carriers of the APOE4 gene and that almost two thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women.

In addition to living longer, the reason behind the higher female prevalence is thought to be related to the effects of menopause and the impact of the APOE4 genetic risk factor being greater in women.

We wanted to find out whether HRT could prevent cognitive decline in at-risk APOE4 carriers

• Prof Anne-Marie Minihane, University of East Anglia Norwich Medical School and director of the Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging, in collaboration with Prof Craig Ritchie at the University of Edinburgh HRT could ward off Alzheimer's among at-risk women (January 14, 2023)

Prof Minihane said: "