Mississippi Business Journal: UMMC’s MIND Center homing in on Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment
By Becky Gillette
Alzheimer’s disease is devasting illness that robs victims of their memories and ability to complete simple tasks. It takes a huge toll on families and strains the healthcare system. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, it is the most expensive disease in America with annual costs for Alzheimer’s and other dementias estimated at $277 billion.
At the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), vitally important research into the causes and possible preventions and treatments for this disease are being done at The MIND (Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia) Center.
Researchers and clinicians at The MIND Center are conducting multiple industry-sponsored clinical trials in patients with a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment, a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, said Dr. Juebin Huang, associate professor of neurology at The MIND Center at UMMC.
“One of the major focuses of these clinical trials is to develop medications that can remove or reduce the formation of amyloid plaques, a key pathological component that leads to nerve cell death and brain deterioration,” Huang said. “The eventual goal of these trials is to see if the investigational medications can slow down or halt the progression of Alzheimer disease. Data from early phases of these trials are promising.”