There may be hope for dementia sufferers in the near future as new treatments are “on target” to be developed within the next decade, a leading expert has said.
More than 6,000 people suffer from dementia in Malta, or 1.5 per cent of the population, but the number is expected to grow to more than double by 2050 to 13,000, equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the population.
Researchers will know if they are at the beginning of “a new era” for tackling the development of diseases such as Alzheimer’s “in the coming year”, according to John Hardy, an award-winning University College London (UCL) biologist.
He said that therapies currently on trial, which combat the build-up of the damaging amyloid beta and tau protein concentrations in the brain, could provide a breakthrough.
“I think we are on target for some therapies for 2025. When the drug trial results come out – and if they’re positive – we will know we are on the right road,” he claimed.
“When you are on the right road, you put your foot on the accelerator and you can go quicker, so those results are key.”
In the coming year we will know if we are already at the start of a new era of better treatments for slowing or stopping the development of Alzheimer’s disease
He added: “In the coming year we will know if we are already at the start of a new era of better treatments for slowing or stopping the development of Alzheimer’s disease and allied neurodegenerative disorders, or if current research strategies should be refocused.”
Age is considered the main risk factor of dementia, but not its cause. Symptoms of dementia are believed to sometimes be caused when amyloid beta clumps together to form a plaque in the brain, interfering with how brain cells signal to each other.
Some of the current drug trials, two of which are now in the clinical trial stage, focus on using antibodies to take amyloid beta out of the brain. If successful, these drugs could be used to prevent the development of dementia in its early stages.
As well as pharmaceutical treatments for dementia, experts also stress the importance of lifestyle improvements in preventing a disorder from developing.
Smoking, high cholesterol, drinking above recommended limits and high blood pressure are identified as factors which raise the risk of developing such a disease.
The implications of dementia on human, social and economic well-being in Malta have led to the setting up of a national dementia strategy, which was launched last year and covers the period until 2023.The objectives of this strategy include increasing awareness and understanding of dementia, the early diagnosis of the disease, improving dementia management and care, and training of healthcare professionals.
As part of this latter aspect, a Master’s degree in ageing and dementia studies was inaugurated at the University of Malta this month. The aim is to help provide medical and social care professionals with further expertise in the field.