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Two Alzheimer's drugs help patients live independently at home for longer periods

Two Alzheimer's drugs help patients live independently at home for longer periods

Yahoo20-02-2025
Two widely touted Alzheimer's drugs have been shown to enable patients to remain in their homes, living independently, for longer periods of time.
Those medications, while effective, are not without their risks and side effects, however.
That's according to a study published last week in the Alzheimer's Association journal.
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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis analyzed how long 282 Alzheimer's patients were able to continue living independently after taking two specific treatments: lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla).
Both FDA-approved medications are designed to remove amyloid beta plaques from the brains of people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, potentially slowing the rate of cognitive decline.
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Patients who took lecanemab extended their time at home for an additional 10 months, while donanemab enabled them to live independently for eight more months, according to a WashU press release.
On average, a patient with mild symptoms could expect to live independently for another 29 months without treatment, 39 months with lecanemab and 37 months with donanemab, according to the release.
Memory Loss Isn't Always Alzheimer's: Experts Warn Of Common But Little-known Dementia
These results were based on patients who began treatment with "very mild symptoms."
"Using the data from the clinical trials, we calculated that, for an average patient with very mild symptoms due to Alzheimer disease dementia, treatment with either lecanemab or donanemab would be expected to extend independent living for around one year," senior author Sarah Hartz, M.D., PhD, a professor of psychiatry at WashU Medicine, told Fox News Digital.
"If you think of the cost and consequences of not being able to live independently, this may be significant to many older adults."
This study gives patients and their families a way to translate clinical trial findings into meaningful outcomes, according to Hartz.
"For example, if a patient is considering taking lecanemab or donanemab to treat their AD, part of the discussion with their doctor can be how long they would expect the drug to prolong their independence, both in terms of being able to live independently and being able to independently care for their own bodies."
3 Signs Your Aging Loved One May Be Ready For Assisted Living
The purpose of the study is not to advocate for or against these medications, Hartz noted in a press release. "The purpose … is to put the impact of these medications into context in ways that can help people make the decisions that are best for themselves and their family members."
Christopher Weber, PhD, senior director of global science initiatives at the Alzheimer's Association, was not involved in the study but shared his input with Fox News Digital.
"This study suggests that these drugs have a clinically meaningful impact for early Alzheimer's patients and their families by providing more time in the early stages of the disease, when patients have more functional independence," he said.
The study findings highlight the importance of starting treatment early to maximize the potential benefits, according to Weber, as starting at a more advanced point resulted in fewer months of independence.
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"The advances we're seeing in Alzheimer's treatments build upon decades of research, and underscore the importance of continued innovation and investment in this field in order to better understand the underlying biology and trajectory of the disease, detect it earlier, and effectively treat and prevent it," he added.
The biggest limitation of the study, according to Hartz, is that the participants were very dedicated to Alzheimer's research and were typically highly educated.
"We don't know how well our findings translate to the rest of the population," she acknowledged.
Dr. Chris Vercammen, a board-certified internal medicine physician who specializes in geriatrics and palliative care, emphasized that while the two drugs can extend periods of independence for people with Alzheimer's, "lecanemab and donanemab do not stop or reverse Alzheimer's disease."
"It's also important to understand that these new drugs are only beneficial for individuals in the early stages of the disease," the doctor, who is also medical director at Remo Health in California, told Fox News Digital. (Vercammen was not involved in the new study.)
Anyone considering these treatments should have an "in-depth conversation" with a doctor about the potential benefits and weigh them against the "significant risks" involved, according to Vercammen.
"These risks include the possibility of serious side effects, such as brain swelling and bleeding, as well as the substantial financial costs associated with treatment, even if you have insurance coverage," he cautioned.
For people who may benefit from these treatments, Hartz recommended they talk to their doctors and review the potential risks and benefits.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
"This information could help contextualize how the medications may benefit them in terms of independence," she added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the makers of Leqembi and Kisunla to request comment.Original article source: Two Alzheimer's drugs help patients live independently at home for longer periods
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Synaptigen Introduced as Natural Brain Support Option for Aging Adults in 2025
Synaptigen Introduced as Natural Brain Support Option for Aging Adults in 2025

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Synaptigen Introduced as Natural Brain Support Option for Aging Adults in 2025

Clinically-Inspired Daily Formula Highlights Cognitive Clarity, Focus, and Mental Energy for Adults Over 50 New York, Aug. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This press release is for informational purposes only. The statements below are not medical advice and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Synaptigen is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Some links included in this release may be affiliate in nature. See full disclaimer at the end. Synaptigen Introduced as Natural Brain Support Option for Aging Adults in 2025 A New Plant-Based Formula Aims to Support Memory, Mental Agility, and Neuronal Clarity Without Stimulants In 2025, a new pineal-focused supplement called Synaptigen is gaining widespread attention among adults seeking cognitive clarity and long-term brain health. At a time when digital burnout, information overload, and lifestyle-related inflammation are on the rise, this daily-use capsule supports mental clarity and focus without using stimulants or synthetic nootropics. The formula uses a blend of probiotic strains, botanical extracts, and prebiotic fibers to help nourish the brain from within—an approach that aligns with recent neuroscience linking the gut microbiome to cognition, emotional regulation, and memory performance. Formulated to be stimulant-free, Synaptigen offers a gentler daily option for those looking to promote brain wellness well into old Interest in 'A Breakthrough Natural Solution That Supports A Healthy Memory Well Into Old Age' Is Surging in 2025 The global surge in cognitive wellness awareness is no longer limited to older adults. In 2025, younger generations are taking proactive steps toward preserving mental clarity—driven by trends on TikTok, neuroscience podcasts, and global wellness data. 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The publisher or author may receive compensation through affiliate commissions if a purchase is made through these links. This compensation does not affect the price you pay and helps support continued research and content publication. Results described or implied may not be typical and should not be interpreted as guarantees. Statements made about ingredients or outcomes reflect public discussion and historical usage only, and are not endorsed by medical professionals or regulatory agencies. Always do your own research and make informed decisions. CONTACT: Email: contact@ Phone (US): 1-800-390-6035 INT: +1 208-345-4245Sign in to access your portfolio

Deaths among young people who inhale 'laughing gas' are soaring
Deaths among young people who inhale 'laughing gas' are soaring

UPI

timean hour ago

  • UPI

Deaths among young people who inhale 'laughing gas' are soaring

Children and teenagers in the U.S. are increasingly inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to get high -- and deaths linked to use of the legal inhalant have increased 578% in the last 13 years. Photo courtesy FDA/HealthDay News It's no laughing matter: Kids and teens across America are increasingly inhaling nitrous oxide, better known as "laughing gas," to get high. Too often, this ends in tragedy. U.S. deaths linked to misuse of the common, legal inhalant climbed nearly sevenfold -- 578% -- between 2010 and 2023, a new report finds. In 2023, 156 Americans, many of them children, died from huffing nitrous oxide, according to a new study. "This is not local to one area; it's everywhere," said study co-author Andrew Yockey, assistant professor of public health at the University of Mississippi. "And it absolutely deserves national surveillance," he added in a news release. "The numbers are still small right now, but they're growing and they're growing fast." There are no age restrictions on buying nitrous oxide, and it "is available online and in gas stations across the country, so, these products become an easy way to get high, and the companies know that," Yockey said. "How long do we have to wait before we consider this a problem?" he asked. His team published its findings July 30 in JAMA Network Open. Nitrous oxide, often referred to as "whippets," is usually sold in canisters and access appears to be growing. "From about 2020 on, you really started to see two things: nitrous oxide products appearing in gas stations, online, etc., and then in 2023, the U.K. banned nitrous oxide," Yockey said. "I think that's when some of those products started creeping in globally." He noted that many nitrous oxide products come in flavors that are especially enticing to kids: Berries or cotton candy, for example. Products often come with flavored nozzles. "These flavored nozzles -- bubblegum, mango -- tell me these aren't being marketed to kids?" Yockey said. Unsurprisingly, kids and teens are most prone to experimenting with nitrous oxide. In fact, eighth-graders make up a big proportion of users, the research showed. However, use comes with risks: Blood clots, frostbite, asphyxiation, heart palpitations, hallucinations and even paralysis, brain damage or death, according to the study authors. The research focused on 14 years of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on nitrous oxide-related deaths. Fatalities were rare and relatively stable until about 2010, when there were 23 deaths nationwide. But after that point, death rates began to climb. "What's especially concerning is how accessible and deceptively safe nitrous oxide seems," said study co-author Rachel Hoopsick, assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "It's legal, easy to buy and often viewed as harmless. But frequent or high-volume use can lead to serious neurological damage, psychiatric symptoms or even death." She said researchers are particularly worried about young people experimenting without understanding the risks. "The rise in harm calls for not only prevention," Hoopsick said in a news release, "But also stronger harm-reduction strategies." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration did issue a warning earlier this year, highlighting the dangers of inhaling nitrous oxide. That warning lists 15 nitrous oxide products, with names like Baking Bad, Cloud 9ine, Cosmic Gas and Whip-It!, but Yockey and Hoopsick are convinced there are dozens more. "We started researching nitrous oxide misuse after seeing headlines about young people dying from what many believed was a harmless substance," Hoopsick said. "Around the same time, we were both hearing anecdotal reports of nitrous oxide use among students on our respective campuses. These weren't just isolated incidents; they pointed to a larger, overlooked public health issue." Much more needs to be done to get the word out to parents and kids that "laughing gas" is far from harmless, the team said. "Public awareness is far behind where it needs to be," Hoopsick said. "Most people -- including parents, educators and even some health care providers -- don't realize how common nitrous oxide use has become or how dangerous it can be. "I want them to know that legal doesn't mean safe and that early, nonjudgmental conversations can make a real difference," she added. More information Find out more about the dangers of nitrous oxide at the Cleveland Clinic. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

James Van Der Beek was 'doing everything' for his health. One subtle symptom revealed he had stage 3 colon cancer at 46.
James Van Der Beek was 'doing everything' for his health. One subtle symptom revealed he had stage 3 colon cancer at 46.

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

James Van Der Beek was 'doing everything' for his health. One subtle symptom revealed he had stage 3 colon cancer at 46.

For years, James Van Der Beek was invested in optimizing his health. "I was doing everything," Van Der Beek, 48, told Business Insider. "I was doing sauna, cold plunge, weightlifting, Pilates. I would dance and also do football training." The "Dawson's Creek" actor balanced strength training with cardio and ate mostly organic food, "doing all the biohacking things" to stay fit, he said. Then, he started experiencing changes in his bowel movements, a common symptom of colon cancer. He stopped drinking coffee to see whether the issue would resolve itself. "It didn't feel like a real symptom of anything," he said. "It wasn't anything that made me rush off to go get screened." When it persisted, he got a colonoscopy. At 46, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He waited more than a year into treatment before sharing the news publicly in late 2024. With his diagnosis, Van Der Beek joined an alarming number of young people being diagnosed with advanced cancers. Many, like him, had subtle symptoms and healthy lifestyles. While he wishes he'd gotten screened sooner, he said that even in 2023, his options were more limited. It wasn't until 2024 that the Shield blood test, a test that can spot colon cancer signs from a simple blood draw, was FDA-approved. Van Der Beek, who said he'd most likely be dealing with cancer for the rest of his life, is now a spokesperson for Guardant Health to promote the Shield blood test. His goal, he said, is to encourage people to get screened earlier, especially as colon cancer cases are rising in patients under the age of 50. He also hopes to raise awareness around symptoms and urge people to get screened as soon as they hit 45, the recommended screening age. "The 'could have, should have' train is a black hole," Van Der Beek said. "But don't let my 'could haves' become yours. That's my biggest message." More young people are being diagnosed with colon cancer. Business Insider is telling their stories and helping readers understand how to prevent the disease and what could be causing the spike. Have you or a loved one experienced cancer as a younger person? If you would like to share your story, contact Julia Pugachevsky:jpugachevsky@ A shocking start to a new life In 2020, Van Der Beek and his family moved from Los Angeles to Austin. He took a break from acting for a few years and kept busy raising six children alongside his wife, Kimberly. It took time to get settled. While Van Der Beek qualified for an annual colon cancer screening at 45, he said he didn't get a colonoscopy at that point because he was still sorting out his new healthcare situation. He also didn't know that the screening guidelines had changed in 2021, lowering the recommended age from 50 to 45. Getting diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 2023 was a shock, Van Der Beek said, one he's still processing two years later. "It really took a while to set in," he said. "The reality still sets in stages; there are so many unknowns." "All these beautiful things that I love, and I used to define myself as — a father, a provider, a husband — all that got taken away, or at least paused." Stage 3 cancer, in which cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes but no other organs, typically requires chemotherapy and surgery to treat. Balancing fatherhood and work with treatment Van Der Beek said his "lowest point" in treatment was feeling like he was losing core parts of his identity. "All these beautiful things that I love, and I used to define myself as — a father, a provider, a husband — all that got taken away, or at least paused," he said. "I had to sit there and say, 'Well, what am I?' And it was, 'I'm still worthy of love.'" Van Der Beek said in addition to dealing with the treatment itself, he also had to take on "the full-time job of medical portals and appointments and medication, supplements, tests — trying to organize all that." The actor said asking for help was hard for him, even though he really needed it. "I don't know how anyone does this alone," he said. "It's been amazing to really see my friends come through in ways that I just never allowed them to before." A month after he publicly announced his colon cancer diagnosis in 2024, Van Der Beek appeared in "The Real Full Monty," a televised special in which he and five other male celebrities stripped to raise cancer awareness. He said filming the special was the first time he shared the news with anyone outside his inner circle. "It was so life-affirming to see the immediate support and the empathy and just the energy that I got back from it," he said. "I think anytime you push past what's uncomfortable and you get to the other side of fear, there's always some kind of reward." While he used to have a "very tricky relationship" with fame, he looks at it very differently now. "It's been a real blessing, actually, because now I get people telling me they're praying for me all over the place, and I really feel like it helps and I need it, and I am grateful for it," he said. "It connects me to so many people I otherwise would never get to connect with." He wants younger people to get screened Colon cancer cases are rising worldwide, particularly among people around or below the recommended screening age, which the US has dropped to meet the growing rate among younger patients. In addition to wanting to raise general awareness about when to get screened or what symptoms to look for, Van Der Beek is passionate about alternative screening options. While colonoscopies are considered the gold standard in testing because doctors can remove precancerous polyps, they can be expensive, time-consuming, and uncomfortable, involving laxatives and anesthesia. "I did not find a colonoscopy to be all that pleasant," Van Der Beek said. "For people who are in a job where they can't take that kind of time off of work, it can be a challenge." Increasingly, there are less invasive at-home tests that can provide answers. For example, Cologuard and FIT are widely used at-home tests that detect the presence of cancer in stool samples. The Shield test is a blood test performed on people of average risk who are 45 and older. If the result is positive, a colonoscopy is the next step. Shield's research found that when their blood draw was offered to patients, colon cancer screening rates more than doubled. The tests can miss cancer or present false positives. While those chances decrease the more advanced the cancer is, the margin of error is the reason doctors recommend colonoscopies as a first line of defense. "I would still choose a colonoscopy for myself," Dr. Tim Cannon, a medical oncologist who directs the gastrointestinal cancer program at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, told BI in a previous story about the new industry of less invasive tests like Shield. Caught in its earlier stages, colon cancer is very treatable. It's why Van Der Beek hopes more people get screened, however they choose to do it. He still remembers one of his first reactions when he got diagnosed. He wondered about the best thing that could come of his situation. "What's the thing that I'm going to look back on this in 20 years and say, 'Thank God that happened?" he said. "So what can I do to make that the case?" So far, raising awareness has given him a lot of purpose throughout his ongoing treatment. "I've learned a lot," he said. "If I can save anyone from having to go through this, that's magic." Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword

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