In the United States, Blacks account for twenty percent of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and are twice as likely to develop the disease than Caucasians. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death for Americans and the 4th leading cause of death for older African Americans.
There are mixed opinions surrounding the experimental drug, Aducanumab, that was developed to slow the mental decline of Alzheimer’s disease. While some are excited about the new drug, others are questioning whether the drug is all it claims to be.
Aducanumab was developed to aid the body with breaking down harmful plaques or protein clumps that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. These plaques inhibit neurons from connecting and cause disruptions with memory, speech, reasoning, and loss of brain function. Alzheimer’s drugs that are currently available ease the symptoms of the disease, but fail to slow down the loss of brain function.
Earlier this year, developers brought studies for Aducanumab to a screeching halt because the drug seemed to