Most people living with Alzheimer's disease are over 65 and female

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阿尔茨海默氏病（AD）是最常见的形式失智，一种以大脑功能损失为特征的综合征，可能影响记忆，思维和交流。该疾病通常会影响65岁以上的人，并与蛋白质的积累神经细胞和神经细胞中磷酸化的tau之间的β-淀粉样蛋白。这些蛋白质聚集体被认为破坏了神经细胞功能。

3月11日一周是脑意识周，一项全球运动，促进大脑研究及其对我们有益的方式。我们在ISRCTN通过讨论与AD相关的临床试验为这项运动做出了贡献，因为它与我们的全球人口老龄化。现在，1分之一据估计，2015年出生的英国人会发展痴呆症。

了解阿尔茨海默氏症

A2017年研究使用磁共振成像比较AD和晚期双相情感障碍，这是一种具有相似认知和行为症状的精神疾病。研究人员发现广告与更多的破坏in brain areas related to social and emotional processing and object recognition than bipolar disorder. This disruption was thought to be due to nerve cell degradation resulting in greater behavioral and emotional impairments.

一个正在进行的审判正在研究与AD发作年龄及其进展率相关的潜在因素，该问卷，血液检查，脑成像和患者历史。研究人员希望，确定与AD相关的生物标志物，同时发生的条件或生活方式因素，将促进对未来患者的更明智的治疗和护理计划。

大脑对AD的研究可以提高我们对疾病的理解，并在潜在治疗的发展中有用。

Treatments

A最近的研究训练有素的AD患者“分解”，这是一种记忆技术，涉及识别和压缩信息模式。平均而言，受过训练的患者，记住包含的序列6.3数字while untrained patients remembered sequences containing 5.8 numbers. Additionally, the training was associated with decreased functional activity in brain areas related to working memory. This indicated that less effort was required to remember the sequences.

这2010年纪念品试验investigated whether a drink designed to promote nerve cell growth could improve cognitive function in patients with mild AD. After 12 weeks40% of the patientswho consumed the drink daily had improved delayed recall of words. This was compared to only 24% of patients from the control group. However, a 2017 trial subsequently found that while the drink was associated with less cognitive decline, it hadno significant impacton slowing the progress of dementia.

大脑研究对于开发AD的治疗至关重要，但是重要的问题是在找到治愈之前需要进行多少研究？

治愈？

这2008AD2000试验给阿司匹林给广告患者。过去的研究表明，AD在阿司匹林用户中不太常见。此外，阿司匹林可防止血凝块，这可以增加AD的风险。然而，2年的阿司匹林治疗对患者没有任何值得的好处，也没有增加严重出血的风险。同样，2013年达拉德审判found that 12 months of treatment with two antibiotics was associated with显着恶化在认知结果中。这2018 NILVAD trial发现使用血压药物治疗18个月认知能力下降较少与未经治疗的患者相比，AD温和的患者中，中度AD患者的下降量更大。

Clinical trials into treatments and cures for AD are ongoing. TheDESCIAD审判正在测试药物CPHPC是否会有效治疗AD并降低受广告影响大脑中发现的斑块的水平。科学家希望该试验的结果将显着积极。

Where does this leave us?

和阿尔茨海默病是越来越普遍is costly to社会和个人。阿尔茨海默氏病affects brain function. This means it attacks the organ which is fundamental to our sense of self and our perception of the world. Our brains embodies everything that makes us who we are; our thoughts, our memories, our emotions. Essentially, we are our brains.

Brain research has led to great strides in our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, which is in turn bring us closer towards treatments and a potential cure. However, the number of clinical trials with negative results make it clear that our understanding is not yet complete. During this Brain Awareness Week, why not take a moment to appreciate not just what a miraculous organ your brain is, but also the people who are working daily to ensure that your brain functions well for as long as possible.