Alzheimer's disease is no longer considered an "untreatable condition"; it can now be managed effectively if detected early, similar to diabetes or high cholesterol, according to experts.
On August 10, Eisai held a media session at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, focusing on the role of amyloid beta protein in Alzheimer's disease and recent shifts in treatment paradigms. During the event, Professors Moon Yeon-sil from Konkuk University Hospital and Moon So-young from Ajou University emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and the need for Disease-Modifying Treatments (DMT).
Dementia is one of the most feared diseases among South Koreans. A survey conducted last year by the Korean Dementia Society in collaboration with a polling agency found that 90.4% of respondents expressed fear and concern about dementia.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases. It is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by the abnormal accumulation of amyloid beta protein in the brain, leading to tau protein formation, neuroinflammation, and cell damage, which ultimately results in cognitive decline.
The disease progresses from mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's to a dementia stage where cognitive functions such as calculation, concentration, judgment, and language abilities decline significantly. During the mild cognitive impairment stage, individuals can usually perform daily activities independently, making it difficult to distinguish from normal forgetfulness. Professor Moon Yeon-sil stressed the importance of seeking professional evaluation and testing if cognitive decline is suspected.
The treatment paradigm is also evolving. Traditional treatments focused on temporarily alleviating cognitive decline symptoms by addressing the reduction of acetylcholine due to the loss of cholinergic neurons. Recently, Disease-Modifying Treatments (DMT) have emerged, targeting the direct removal of accumulated amyloid beta based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis.
Professor Moon So-young noted, "DMT can be considered for mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, which are early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The earlier treatment begins, particularly when amyloid beta accumulation is relatively low, the more pronounced the cognitive improvement effects are observed."
However, even with anti-amyloid treatments that remove existing amyloid beta, new amyloid beta continues to be produced. Research tracking patients who discontinued treatment showed that amyloid levels, which had dropped to normal levels, began to rise again, leading to cognitive decline.
Professor Moon emphasized the importance of early intervention and consistent management tailored to the characteristics of the treatment. He added, "As the treatment paradigm shifts, Alzheimer's disease has become a condition that can be detected early and managed consistently, similar to diabetes, to delay progression to severe dementia."
Meanwhile, Eisai's Alzheimer's treatment, Lecanemab (generic name: lecanemab), is a drug proven to slow disease progression and cognitive decline by selectively binding to beta amyloid, a known causative agent of Alzheimer's disease. Following its domestic launch at the end of 2024, its prescription range is expanding in major hospitals, including the top five hospitals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.