Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
    Featured Articles
    • Bulletins
      Why Eat More Fruit?
    • Diets & Weight Loss
      Intermittent Fasting (IF)
    • Recipes
      Watermelon & Heirloom Tomato Salad
    • Healthy Living
      Fruit, Herb, & Vegetable Infused Waters: Good Or Bad?
    • Bulletins
      Fruit & Vegetables: Increase Your Intake
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
An Anti-Alzheimer's Plan?
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Health Centers
  4. Aging Gracefully

An Anti-Alzheimer's Plan?

I understand that a drug is under study for prevention of Alzheimer’s in people who have a strong family history of the disease. What can you tell me about the drug and the study? Who is eligible?

Andrew Weil, M.D. | August 24, 2012

Black people and emotions, portrait of depressed senior man with glasses looking at camera. Copy space
2 min

A new study about to be launched will test a drug for its effectiveness in the prevention of Alzheimer’s among mentally healthy members of a very large extended family in Medellin, Columbia, who are genetically predestined to develop the disease. The participants will likely develop the early-onset form of disease when they reach their mid-forties and will have full scale dementia when they reach their early 50s. The trial will involve 300 members of this family, some of them as young as 30. Earlier preventive trials on people already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s have proved disappointing. This one is different because participants do not yet have symptoms or evidence of the damaging brain changes that may have been beyond correction in trials with other drugs.

The study is expected to last for five years, but monitoring after two years may indicate whether or not the drug is working. A small number of Americans with genetic mutations that lead to conventional late-onset Alzheimer’s also will be included in the study.

The experimental drug to be used in the trial is crenezumab, which was selected because it doesn’t elicit some of the side effects seen with similar drugs, especially the brain swelling called vasogenic edema. Crenezumab works by targeting the amyloid plaques in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s. It is also being tested in clinical trials with people who have mild to moderate Alzheimer’s in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe to see if it can reduce amyloid build-up and cognitive decline.

Another new Alzheimer’s study will focus on an insulin nasal spray for people with early memory problems. This effort stems from research showing that diabetes presents an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Promising results from a small study from the University of Washington published in 2011 suggested that squirting insulin deep into the nose so that it can travel to the brain might help put early Alzheimer’s on hold. However, the study was so small – only 104 people participated – that the results may not be statistically significant.

The new research push is part of a U.S. government effort to address Alzheimer’s aggressively. The disease currently affects 5.4 million Americans and will strike millions more as the baby boom generation ages. The crenezumab study will be partly funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., and Genentech, the U.S. manufacturer of crenezumab.

Here’s where you can find my recommendations for reducing your risk of Alzheimer’s.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging - Your Online Guide to the Anti-Inflammatory Diet!

Everything you need to get started eating a healthful, satisfying diet is here – including eating and shopping guides, over 300 recipes, and an exclusive version of Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid! Start your 14-day free trial now – and start eating anti-inflammatory today!
Get Started
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

Caring young mother helping daughter put on helmet with father in background - Outdoors in country side
Aging Gracefully

2 Ways To Protect The Brain

foods that promote healthy vision
Aging Gracefully

3 Foods That Promote Healthy Vision

3 Ways To Prepare For Lifelong Health | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Aging Gracefully

3 Ways To Prepare For Lifelong Health

Lovely modern dad enjoys the outdoors playing with his son on a white hammock
Aging Gracefully

4 Changes For Life Satisfaction

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
Caring young mother helping daughter put on helmet with father in background - Outdoors in country side
Aging Gracefully

2 Ways To Protect The Brain

foods that promote healthy vision
Aging Gracefully

3 Foods That Promote Healthy Vision

Daily Tips
Want To Lower Your Blood Pressure
Health Tips

Want To Lower Your Blood Pressure? Try The Corpse Pose

be happy live longer
Health Tips

4 Secrets To Living A Longer Life

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright 2022 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com