What are dementia vaccines, and when could they become available? — Dementia treatment in Costa del Sol
11/02/2023Vaccines are one of medicine's greatest inventions. Now, researchers want to use vaccines to fight neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. In this article, we look at what is currently being developed, how a dementia vaccine would work, and how soon one might be available to the public.
Can a dementia vaccine be developed?
The possibility of providing a vaccine to prevent dementia is currently being investigated by researchers.
Traditional vaccinations strengthen the immune system's capacity to fight off specific viral infections, such as the flu and shingles vaccines.
There is growing understanding of the immune system's importance in the central nervous system, both in terms of causing disease states and in terms of potential cures or even the ability to stop diseases from occurring, including something as complex and destructive as dementia. According to recent research, getting vaccinated against the flu or pneumonia may lower one's risk of developing dementia.
The question "could immune system activation or support actually help stave off the dementing process or nerve degenerative disease process?" is being sparked by this.
Although ideas about the immune system were not the foundation of the theories or hypotheses about Alzheimer's disease, it is becoming clear that perhaps the treatments can and should help or address immune system function as it ages.
What might a dementia vaccine accomplish?
Subunit vaccines, which use only a portion of the pathogen, and recombinant vaccines, which use DNA technology to raise antibodies against the most immunogenic peptide segments, are two types of vaccines used to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
With over 100 potential treatments being tested at various stages of the research process and many more being developed, this is an exciting time for Alzheimer's disease research.
Active immunisation, such as vaccines, has been the subject of some research as a potential means of 'protecting' individuals from Alzheimer's disease. The biology associated with Alzheimer's disease is being targeted by these vaccines, which are currently in the process of being developed.
In some instances, they are applying their knowledge of biology gained through decades of research and development related to vaccines to more general aspects of medical care. Additionally, there are various delivery methods and biological systems that can be targeted by a vaccine for a potential therapy.
Vaccines for dementia would trigger immune reactions against pathological molecules in the body linked to dementia, such as:
- Beta-amyloid proteins, which accumulate toxically in the brain and are frequently associated with Alzheimer's disease
- Tau, a protein that aids in stabilising the internal organisation of brain neurons; abnormal tau protein tangles in the brain are linked to Alzheimer's disease.
- Alpha-synuclein, a protein found in neurons that, when present in high concentrations, is linked to Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Dementia treatment in Costa del Sol
At Helicopteros Sanitarios Hospital, we aim to deliver the latest treatments available. While dementia vaccines may take some time to reach the market, we continue to provide other treatments that are currently available. If you are looking for the best dementia treatment in Costa del Sol, Helicopteros Sanitarios Hospital is the best place for you. Contact us now to know more.