They might also help ward off Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. Alzheimer's disease is one of several conditions called dementias that are associated with loss of memory and other intellectual abilities and usually occur with increasing age. As the U.S. population ages, Alzheimer's disease is becoming a growing concern, with about 4 million Americans currently affected by the disease and 14 million estimated to be affected by the year 2050. Chat with other members about the latest news on Alzheimer's disease in our Alzheimer's Disease message board. Recently, some drugs designed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease have become available, but they are far from a cure for this devastating condition.
Vaccines are another strategy in the fight against the disease and they are showing some promise.
Traditionally thought of as a way to prevent infection, vaccines are being used more and more to prevent or treat a whole array of conditions, even cancer. This should not be surprising because vaccines are nothing more than substances that stimulate the immune system to fight off a disease. Researchers from the University of South Florida in Tampa have been studying mice with a condition resembling Alzheimer's disease to test various vaccines against the disease. Recently, they seem to have found a winner. A common problem among people with Alzheimer's disease is difficulty finding their way around.