Dementia What about the new drugs? Some questions answered
Q: Can they cure dementia? A: No, there is no cure yet, but these new drugs, which are types of immunotherapy, are being hailed as a great step forward.
Q: So how do they help? A: There are three new drugs that target the amyloid plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The plaques are thought to be toxic and damage the brain cells, but the new drugs aim to break down the amyloid plaques and clear them.
Donanemab Trials show that the new drug Donanemab could slow down the cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s by 35 per cent. They also showed a 40 per cent slowing in decline of everyday activities such as driving, doing hobbies and managing finances. The drug is delivered through a drip once a month and works best in the earlier stages of the disease.
Researchers found that among a small number of people in the study there were some serious side-effects such as
memories for mum and she and Ann Latham, the volunteer from Pets as Therapy, who brought Mya to see us, talked a lot about their love of dogs and shared photographs of Ann’s other dogs,” says David.
The science Pets can do you good – this is why many care homes have resident or visiting pets. The presence of a pet has been associated with better performance on mental tasks,
brain swelling. Three deaths in the Donanemab group were considered ‘treatment-related’.
Lecanemab
Trial results published last year showed that a second drug, Lecanemab, reduced the rate of cognitive decline by 27 per cent. It also slowed down the decline in quality of life by up to 56 per cent.
Remternetug
The full results of Remternetug trials will not be released for some time, but early data has suggested that Remternetug may be better at clearing amyloid that Donanemab. This data showed that after six months of treatment, 75 per cent of 41 people tested had amyloid cleared from their brains. In contrast, Donanemab took 18 months to see 72 per cent of patients cleared of amyloid. A larger scale trial of Remternetug to test its effectiveness and safety in a larger group of people with mild Alzheimer’s disease is due to end in 2025.
according to research quoted by The University of Missouri Research Center for Human/Animal Interaction. Cornell University Feline Health Centre cites a study that found that petting cats and dogs for ten minutes decreased the amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) in human saliva. This makes pet therapy a valuable tool because the Alzheimer’s Society in the UK says that chronic stress may play a role in the development or progression of
Q: When can I get them? A: This October, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) licensed Donanemab (to be sold under the brand name Kisunla) for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has declined to make the drug available on the NHS, stating that it provides only a small benefit to patients, is expensive, and counts brain swelling and brain bleeds among possible side effects. This follows the MHRA’s decision in August to approve Lecanemab (branded as Leqembi in the UK) as a treatment for some people with Alzheimer’s disease, and NICE’s decision – on cost/benefit grounds – to not make Lecanemab available through the NHS.
All of which means that, while both treatments might be available on a private basis (at significant expense), neither will be available through the NHS for the foreseeable future.
Trials of Remternetug must be completed before it can move on to the approval stage in the US or the UK.
dementia (though it does not cause it). Petting animals can also reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Research that looked at the cardiovascular effects of human-pet dog interactions showed that petting a dog and talking to a dog are accompanied by lower blood pressure (BP) and heart rates. The authors say: “Touch appeared to be major component of the pet effect...” Interacting with pets also encourages conversation and helps prompt reminiscence in people who have previously owned pets, as Joan’s story shows.
Social activities Dancing, singing, crafts, picture quizzes, and memory games are on offer at Walfinch Southampton, which helped set up a Memory Cafe in Potters Court, Maybush. It opened in June with live music from local pianist Brian Budden, and attendees had the chance to sing along. “Singing is good for physical and mental health, especially for people with dementia,” says Robin Boulter, from Walfinch Southampton. Robin, local Walfinch franchisees Angela Harding and Laura Pineiro, and members of the care team, helped set up the monthly memory
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com November 2024
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