Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps one of the quietest yet likewise one of the worst illnesses that could induce pain in a person. It’s one of the diseases that can affect absolutely anyone, but as of the moment, no one has discovered a cure yet.

Living with Alzheimer’s is a challenge anyone won’t want to experience. While it’s a disease that isn’t as awful and biting as others with physical manifestations, it’s still one that has a massive impact on someone’s life. As Alzheimer’s worsens, patients suffer from more significant cognitive difficulties and an even greater memory loss. This decline in cognitive abilities can result in getting lost even in places they were once familiar with, repeating and having trouble understanding questions and statements, and overall more extended completion of regular daily tasks, thus declining their quality of life.

 Lifestyle changes affected and caused by Alzheimer’sAny family experiencing or coping with a member suffering from Alzheimer’s faces distress and stress. From the pain of seeing that person suffering from the disease to them indirectly but personally suffering from its effects. However, other than the direct family, it’s a couple’s journey against Alzheimer’s disease that takes the trophy when it comes to a painful experience. There’s nothing more painful and heart-wrenching than seeing someone you’ve fallen in love with and have grown highly intimate with change into a person you almost can’t recognize – though not physically – because of a disease that has yet to discover a cure and treatment.

Since the brain, the body’s navigator is the primary area that gets greatly affected by Alzheimer’s, a change in behavior and disposition is one of the most apparent changes in a patient. Typically, these behavioral changes are caused by these patients’ medications and are commonly not likely to last any longer. However, the duration of these changes doesn’t make experiencing it less painful. These changes can vary from subtle shifts such as suddenly feeling sad to more harmful and painful transitions such as memory loss or unusually extreme sexual behavior, requiring different levels of patience and coping mechanisms. This is why suffering caused by Alzheimer’s transcends the patient, directly affecting the people around them. 

 Recent updates

Recent research has proposed that there is a possibility for declining memory to be reversed even in the patient’s later stages. With the proper medication and treatment, such a goal can be achieved.

One of the recent findings in the combat against Alzheimer’s Disease is with the drug Aducanumab, which has already received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is the first approved drug to remedy some of the disease’s underlying biological effects and symptoms. So far, it is the first drug to show improvements in the patient’s cognitive and functional decline reduction. 

Aducanumab isn’t a breakthrough cure for Alzheimer’s. It only works in preventing or reducing biological symptoms of the disease. This drug was conducted with early Alzheimer’s patients, including those that suffer from mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to this disease. Therefore, this drug is recommended for patients similar to the clinical trialed ones – those with early symptoms – as safety and effectiveness data gathered are directed toward this collective. In order to get this, the patient or their concerned family member should first consult with their health care provider to make sure that the patient is fit for the medication since, for some people, their immune system could help strengthen the drug’s side effects, which are common headaches, and allergic reactions.

Aside from this drug, another medication that has also shown impressive results is sargramostim. While Aducanumab has been shown to reduce biological symptoms, sargramostim is the first medication that shows memory improvement and overall cognitive function in patients with early to slightly advanced cases of Alzheimer’s. However, while this is well-fitted for patients with relatively advanced cases, patients should still consult with their doctors and make sure they will be able to manage the possible side effects of this medication.

This recent research symbolizes hope – the notion that as long as there are doctors who will tirelessly look into new medication, Alzheimer’s patients can still anticipate a bright future and not lose hope. While there’s no guarantee that Alzheimer’s will eventually be a disease that can be completely cured or prevented, for now, these patients can be grateful for recent developments that can make their quality of life even just a tad bit better. With the continuous effort of doctors and the medical sector alike, a brighter future may be coming for these patients.