Group members : Céline, Eliot, Samuel, Bilal
American Members : ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24142691
Corrected text
Today, Alzheimer's affects over 400,000 persons of more than 65 years old and more particularly women (72%). It’s a real problem for our health and our society. This BBC article was written by James Gallagher on 19 September and deals with a protein called Tau, which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In our first part, we are going to talk about what we know about the disease, and in our second part, what we’ve just discovered. In our third and last part, we are going to report what the researchers think of their work.
[Céline & Bilal]
One of the great problems with Alzheimer's disease is that the brain begins to die years before the first symptoms! And moreover, when they're detected, no scientist could say if the disease is Alzheimer's disease or just dementia before the patients' death.
So all the medical tests to find drugs to heal the disease can't be available because patients are already too infected to be saved by some new drugs.
And that's where the Tau protein is a great discovery in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. In fact, we will be able to identify the disease more quickly.
[Eliot & Céline]
When a patient suffers from Alzheimer's, neurons are killed by the disease. Two proteins called Tau and beta amyloid are suspected to be a cause of this phenomenon. Japanese scientists found a way to spot Tau. They used the positron emission tomography : they developed a chemical that binds to the protein, and then this could be seen on a 3D picture of the brain built by a scan. Experiments on mice and potentially sick people proved that this new technology can detect tau. Research is at an advanced stage: this is very positive because it will find the actual cause of the disease. This new technique allows the researchers to notice which regions of the brain are inducing brain cell death.
[Samuel & Eliot]
Then, several researchers have spoken about these developments. Dr. Makoto Higuchi thinks the new technology is reliable: it shows that tau and beta-amyloid cause neuronal death of the individual if they are not treated in time. Dr. Eric Karran (research director at "Alzheimer's Research UK") declares that this study can detect proteins which cause Alzheimer's and madness more easily. New drugs are designed to target the protein and eventually stop its development.
[Bilal & Samuel]
This is good news to learn that research is progressing. If this test can detect Alzheimer's, so that the remedy can be given to patients in time (and their retirement would be spared), that can only be a great thing. My grandfather is suffering from Alzheimer's; that’s why I hope this test will prove to be effective. Will they one day find a definitive solution to heal Alzheimer's disease ?
[Samuel & Bilal]
We hope that you've enjoyed ! :)
Original text :
Today, Alzheimer affects over 400 000 persons of more than 65 years old and more particularly women (72%). It’s a real problem of health and society. The BBC article written by James Gallagher on the 19th of September deals with a protein called Tau, who is linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In a first time, we are going to talk about what we knew about the disease, and in a second time, what we’ve just discovered. In a third time, we are going to report what the researchers think of their work.
[Céline & Bilal]
One of the great problems with Alzheimer's disease is that the brain begins to die years before the first symptom! And moreover, when they're detected, any scientist couldn't say if the disease is an Alzheimer's disease or just dementia before the patients' dying.
So all the medicals tests for drugs in order to heal can't be available because patients are already too much infected to be saved by some new drugs.
And that's where the Tau protein is a great bounce for Alzheimer's disease. In fact, we will be able to identify the disease.
[Eliot & Céline]
When a patient suffers from Alzheimer, neurons are killed by the disease. Two proteins called Tau and beta amyloid are suspected to be a cause of this phenomenon. The Japanese scientists found a way to spot Tau. They use the positron emission tomography : they developed a chemical that bind to the protein, and then that could be seen on a 3D picture of the brain built by a scan. Experiments on mice and potentially sick people proved that this new technology can detect tau. Research is an advanced stage: this is very positive because it will find the actual cause of the disease. This new technical allows the researchers to notice which regions of the brain are inducing brain cells death.
[Samuel & Eliot]
Then, several researchers have spoken about these developments. Dr. Makoto Higuchi thinks the new technology is reliable: it shows that tau and beta-amyloid cause neuronal death of the individual if they are not treated in time. Dr. Eric Karran (research director at "Alzheimer's Research UK") declares that this study can detect proteins cause Alzheimer and madness more easily. New drugs are designed to target the protein and eventually stop its development.
[Bilal & Samuel]
This is good news to learn that research is progressing. If this test can detect Alzheimer's, so that the remedy can be given to patients in time (and their retirement would be spared), that can only be a great thing. My grandfather has suffered from Alzheimer; that’s why I hope this test will prove to be effective. Will they one day to find a definitive solution to heal Alzheimer's disease ?
[Samuel & Bilal]
Hi, if you see this message, that's I'm probably dead … or not ^^. More seriously if somebody have something to say us , a mistake, a question or just something to add (yes, it's possible ;p), he can say it , we will answer quickly .
I think we should be putting more effort in curing this disease than we should funding other things that are less severe and don't kill as many people per year.
You're right ! Alzheimer's disease should be a priority, especially when we see the damage it does in all the world. While looking ahead, but it is not taken seriously enough. This is damage… Unfortunately, there will be many more articles like this to show the progress of the search, but before they found the vaccine… Our children will have time to grow old. Today researchers stop on other diseases, albeit serious, but which remain details facing Alzheimer which kill more every year since 1906. For information, it was about 25 million people touched by the disease in 2005, and could reach four times more in 2025 : it's huge ! It is time to find a solution.
Hello Elizabeth and thanks for your response !
I think so, that we should concentrate on Alzheimer. There are many many others diseases, but Alzheimer is clearly one of the most severe. It really ruins the life of a person and of all his family circle. Unfortunately, we can't make the things go faster, even if we want it. The researchers are still doing a great job, they found a beginning of what could be a solution. We can have some hope :) Samuel
Hi, sorry for the delay in posting. Science has come along way in a short period of time, but I do agree, we should spend more money on a way to help cure or better control Alzheimer's.
Hannah Coggins
Hello Hannah ! There is no problem for the publication of your comment ! Don't worry :p
It is true that a larger budget could be used to Alzheimer's disease. But as you say, they advanced quickly ! It's a little ironic, because it has long they are in the search for a cure for this horrible disease, but their efforts recently are awesome ! We can keep hope again…
Hi, I really think though that when it really comes down to testing at some point, who are they going to test it on and what are the risks for that test? Talking about expense and possible progress is one thing, but what if they do make that advancement and find a cure, people at some point are going to need to be tested and what if the side effects are worse than the disease, is it still worth it?
Hannah Coggins
Hi ! What you say is one of the disadvantages of advanced research, but it must make sense of things, which is quite complicated to do. As for testing the potential cure is risky : it can't be tested on animals, should therefore use human patients as "guinea pigs" (sorry for the unflattering term…). You have asked if it's worth it. I think yes, because it is still possible that it works without making a mess. But it is questionable.