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David Newman's avatar

Would be nice, but I'm afraid I don't agree, Jaap. I'm concerned the 'slowing of decline' is an illusion created by the placebo effect (a rather measly and ineffective one, at that). This dark tunnel should, IMHO, remain dark so researchers and people everywhere are moved to innovate and re-imagine the approach to AD, including its roots and causes. Falsely seeing hope in the amyloid pathway has, sadly, led to a profit-driven charade in which drug makers know they're not helping people, but instead dangle the flicker of hope to which you refer. I recommend the 'Conclusions' section of this review by neurologist researchers in the Netherlands: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8251763/.

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Rafael Olivé Leite's avatar

The (always) excellent text remembered me of a kind of a experiment I did prescribing vitamins.

More than 20 years ago I was the physician of a industrial facility and many employees were seeing me for vitamins prescription because they thought they were weak. After some reluctance and finding no diagnosis to be made I gave up to the “vitamins for weakness” spree and started prescribing them.

I prescribed two kinds of vitamins. One was a pill of plain vitamin B complex and the other was a more expensive supplement with beta carotene which colors urine orange.

Guess which group was more likely to show up in my office to say thank you.

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Ravi Garg's avatar

Great analogy with the thermometer!

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David Newman's avatar

Kind of you, Ravi, thanks

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Raging Fury's avatar

very interesting. I think one point should be made: it may not show the improvements but, as far as I can see, the reduction of Ameloid, slows the cognitive decline.

This is very different fform the expectation of cognitive improvement.

Whatever the case, it is great to see some distant light in this dark tunnel fo rmany.

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Shannon Brownlee's avatar

Thanks for the shout out, David. Haha, I never heard of a double-dog placebo.

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