Is There a Cure for Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease can be extremely disruptive for both those who live with it and their families. It is hard to watch a loved one deal with this brain condition. Many people wonder whether there is a cure on the horizon.

Treatments are available to help address symptoms and improve quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. While there is currently no treatment that can cure the disease, researchers are working hard to find one. Some of their research could lead to a cure in the future.¹

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain condition marked by certain changes that damage and kill brain cells. Experts do not fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease. But it seems to be linked to the buildup of certain proteins in and between cells. Most people have some buildup of these proteins as they get older. But those with Alzheimer’s disease have more buildup and buildup in specific areas of the brain.¹

Two proteins that experts have linked to Alzheimer’s disease are beta-amyloid and tau. As these proteins build up over time, they damage nerve cells. This leads to dementia, which is a group of symptoms centered around trouble processing information. Over time, these symptoms get worse.¹

Symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can include:¹

• Memory and reasoning problems
• Personality, mood, and behavior changes
• Confusion
• Trouble completing daily tasks
• Trouble with physical functions like speaking, swallowing, or walking

Almost 7 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease. Because the population is aging overall, rates of the condition are expected to increase in the near future.^2,3

Why is Alzheimer’s disease so hard to cure?

The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body. And Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most complex diseases that affects the brain. For these reasons, researchers are still learning about what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may have multiple causes or actually be multiple conditions. Until experts better understand the condition, it will be difficult to find treatments that could cure it.⁴

Current treatments for Alzheimer’s disease

Many treatments are available to help with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. For example, medicines can help improve memory or decrease anxiety. Doctors may prescribe several types of drugs to help ease symptoms. These types include:^5,6

• Cholinesterase inhibitors – These drugs prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical that helps with brain function. They can help improve memory, judgment, and language processing.
• Glutamate regulators – These drugs work by regulating a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) called glutamate in the brain. They can help address problems with memory, reasoning, language, and daily functioning.
• Antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs – These drugs can help manage irritability, restlessness, and agitation.
• Insomnia drugs – Trouble sleeping is a common symptom of dementia. These drugs can help regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
• Antipsychotic drugs – These drugs target serotonin or dopamine, which are other neurotransmitters in the brain. In severe cases, these drugs may be used to manage anger, paranoia, or hallucinations.

Other drugs can actually slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Two drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to do so are donanemab (Kisunla™) and lecanemab (Leqembi®). Both of these drugs work by removing beta-amyloid proteins and preventing these proteins from building up in the brain.⁵

In studies, supplements like caprylic acid and omega-3 fatty acids have also shown some effectiveness in improving or delaying Alzheimer’s symptoms. But supplements are not regulated by the FDA like other drugs. So talk to your doctor before starting any.⁷

New treatments on the horizon

The future of Alzheimer’s research looks promising. Scientists have made progress in understanding how the disease works and in developing many new possible treatments. While there is no exact timeline, experts believe that new treatments could slow down progression, prevent, or even reverse the disease in the coming years.⁸

Researchers are looking into new drugs that target many different factors linked to Alzheimer’s disease. For example, some new treatments target:^3,8,9

• Beta-amyloid proteins – Like donanemab and lecanemab, these drugs help prevent beta-amyloid from building up and damaging cells in the brain.
• Tau proteins – These drugs aim to prevent tau from building up and creating what are known as “tangles.”
• Inflammation in the brain – People living with Alzheimer’s disease have increased levels of inflammation in their brains. These new drugs aim to block certain substances in the brain that lead to inflammation.
• Heart disease – Research points to a strong link between heart health and brain health. So, doctors are looking into using current and new medicines for heart disease to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
• Certain genes – Some very early research is looking into gene therapy that makes certain changes to a person’s DNA. The hope is that this therapy may prevent or even reverse the death of brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease.

How you can help find a cure

One way you can help find a cure is by participating in a clinical trial or suggesting that your loved one participate. These trials are crucial for finding new treatments and testing whether they are safe and effective. Clinical trials for Alzheimer’s treatment are in great need of volunteers. Caregivers and healthy participants are needed too.⁵

Your doctor can help you find clinical trials in your area. You also can find clinical trials that are recruiting volunteers at ClinicalTrials.gov or Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch.⁵