The article “Researchers Create Experimental Vaccine for Alzheimer’s” was posted on Sciencedaily.com on October, 8th, 2010. The article explains that there is another vaccine being worked on for individuals with Alzheimer’s other than the traditional DNA vaccine that is now developed and given out. The Alzheimer’s disease developed form a protein called “beta- amyloid” that attaches to the brain and forms plaque on it and blocks nutrients and messages from reaching the brain. Scientists and students at UT Southwestern have been working on the nontraditional DNA vaccine (Experimental Vaccine) for quit sometime but have yet to perfect it to where it is testable on humans.
The traditional DNA vaccine is a whole injection of “beta-amyloid” right into the arm. This traditional vaccine is no longer beneficial to patients because this vaccine has been linked to having a major side effect, brain swelling. The nontraditional DNA vaccine is just a piece of the “beta-amyloid” gene so the injection is not as overwhelming for the brain at point of injection. The experimental vaccine is being tested on animals. The process is, the animals get a small golden bead with the “beta-amyloid” gene in it injected into their ear and then are watched closely for a long period of time. The students and professors at UT Southwestern will now keep a close eye on the animals for seven years’ time to study the long term effects of the animal’s brain functions.
The significance of this article in to show that there is still hope in science today, that many vaccines are still being advanced and made better. This article will make it known that there is still research going on, and other scientist may become aware and share their knowledge about this topic, or lend a helping hand in the project.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101008171843.htm
I believe that this article is very significant and a great hope for people with Alzheimers. I would like to know why the new "cure" for Alzheimers is making the brain swell? I believe that is something we should find out before we can actually find the cure. Alzheimers is a verys serious and fatal illness and hurts many families, friends, and people in general. I knew that Alzheimers made people lose their memory, b but I never knew that it was from a protein latching onto the brain and formed plaqe and made it difficult for nutrients and messages from entering. I know that It is the only way to test experiments sometimes, but I wish there was some way to test them on something other then animals; however, i know that seems close to impossible. I believe they should observe the animals for more then 7 years because in my opinion Alzheimers gets worse with age. I really hope that they do find a cure and continue to use science to help people because there are a lot of people out there in desperate need of these vacines.
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