In Switzerland, a group of researchers is developing a new vaccine with which they aim to prevent the onset of degenerative Alzheimer’s disease, which causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior, in people with Down syndrome.
People with Down syndrome especially vulnerable
According to studies, this disease is the most common cause of dementia, and people with Down syndrome are especially vulnerable to it. It is estimated that approximately two-thirds of those with this genetic disorder will develop Alzheimer’s before the age of 60.
Down syndrome occurs when a person is born with an extra chromosome, which causes, to a greater or lesser extent, a series of difficulties related to learning, delays in cognitive and motor development, and other associated health problems such as heart defects. birth defects, hearing and vision problems, thyroid disorders, celiac disease or obesity, as well as physical anomalies.
Experts believe they are more susceptible to Alzheimer’s because of a DNA flaw that affects the body’s ability to break down a toxic protein in the brain known as amyloid plaque, which was thought to be one of the causes of the disease. degenerative.
The vaccine will be tested in people without Alzheimer’s or Down syndrome
In June, the Swiss pharmaceutical company ‘AC Immune’ claimed that it had inoculated the first dose of its ACI-24060 anti-amyloid vaccine to a patient with Down syndrome. This vaccine aims to stimulate a specific immune response against the accumulation of the aforementioned plaques.
Now, the green light has been given to continue the trial in the United States with the intention of providing the vaccine to the most affected. If successful, further testing of the vaccine will be carried out to see if it has the ability to prevent Alzheimer’s in older people who do not have Down syndrome.
This news comes after the approval, last week in the US country, of a drug for Alzheimer’s that kills amyloid plaque. However, this drug, called Lecanemab, has received several criticisms after the publication of reports that ensure that it causes serious side effects such as brain hemorrhages.
2023-07-11 05:03:56
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