Dr. Wy, why can’t’ I get one of those vaccines to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? It seems too good to be true!

Ask Dr. Wy…

Richard Wyderski, MD, FACP

Dr. Wy, why can’t’ I get one of those vaccines to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? It seems too good to be true!

There are a couple of prescription antibodies, donanemab and lecanemab, that when given IV early in Alzheimer’s Disease can slow it down as long as they don’t cause significant brain bleeding or swelling. Those side effects can actually make things worse. But why use antibodies created in a lab when we could stimulate our own immune system to stop the disease LONG before we even have symptoms, just like kids can get a vaccine preventing measles? Wouldn’t THAT be something?

Thankfully clinical research trials are underway to test exactly that. The two main proteins that are thought to cause Alzheimer’s Disease are call tau and beta amyloid. Those two proteins also appear to be responsible for causing brain inflammation caused by other proteins that are being targeted with different vaccines. If we could get the immune system to form antibodies to the proteins that cause Alzheimer’s Disease with vaccines, we could get rid of those proteins and prevent or stop Alzheimer Disease in its tracks!

Do Alzheimer’s Disease vaccines work? Unfortunately, the jury is still out. It will take years to get the answers. If you’re interested in finding out if you can enter a trial, email the National Institute on Aging at [email protected] or call 410-350-3941.

And by the way, it's interesting that people who have had the shingles, pneumococcal and/or tetanus vaccines in later adult life have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, though we don’t know why. So please think about getting them if you haven’t already.

Don’t give up hope.

Have a question for Dr. Wy that you’d like him to answer? Please submit to [email protected]