6 • BrainMatters • Spring/Summer 2023
There is growing evidence that nearly 40 per
cent of cases of dementia can be prevented
through lifestyle and activity choices, including
physical exercise, social engagement and
mental stimulation, managing hearing loss,
blood pressure, blood sugar and weight,
following a Mediterranean-style diet, and
avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes.
However, for those cases that cannot be prevented, a pharmacological
route may end up being the best option. To date, no single experimental
drug has been proven to arrest or prevent the disease's progression,
which does not mean we should stop trying to find one.
DRUG THERAPY:
Dr. William E. Reichman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Baycrest Seniors Care
A CAUTIOUS HOPE
Indeed, a recent new drug to treat early-stage Alzheimer's, lecanemab, has
received "accelerated approval" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Lecanemab is given intravenously to individuals with mild cognitive
impairment or mild severity dementia who have evidence of abnormal
brain amyloid accumulation. The most recent clinical trial data suggests
after one-and-a-half years of treatment, the reduction in score on a clinical
dementia scale assessing cognitive abilities, such as memory, judgment and
problem solving, was 27 per cent better in patients treated with lecanemab
than in those receiving a placebo.
To date, no single experimental drug has been proven to
arrest or prevent the disease's progression, which does
not mean we should stop trying to find one.
Dr. William E. Reichman
Dr. William E. Reichman
