Why is Alzheimer’s disease so difficult to treat? - Krishna Sudhir

Dig into how Alzheimer’s disease affects your brain and cognitive abilities, and what makes the disorder so hard to treat.

--

Around the world, millions of people have Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and other cognitive abilities. While doctors have studied Alzheimer’s for decades, conducting hundreds of clinical trials, there is still no effective preventive treatment or cure. So, why is Alzheimer’s disease so difficult to treat? Krishna Sudhir investigates.

Lesson by Krishna Sudhir, directed by Rowena Sheehan.

Support Our Non-Profit Mission
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

Connect With Us
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

Keep Learning
----------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------

Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Chin Beng Tan, Tom Boman, Karen Warner, Iryna Panasiuk, Aaron Torres, Eric Braun, Sonja Worzewski, Michael Clement, Adam Berry, Ghaith Tarawneh, Nathan Milford, Tomas Beckett, Alice Ice, Eric Berman, Kurt Paolo Sevillano, Jennifer Heald, Megulo Abebe, isolwi, Kate Sem, Ujjwal Dasu, Angel Alberici, Minh Quan Dinh, Sylvain, Terran Gimpel, Talia Sari, Katie McDowell, Allen, Mahina Knuckles, Charmaine Hanson, Thawsitt, Jezabel, Abdullah Abdulaziz, Xiao Yu, Melissa Suarez, Brian A. Dunn, Francisco Amaya, Daisuke Goto, Matt Switzler, Peng, Tzu-Hsiang, Bethany Connor, Jeremy Shimanek, Mark Byers, Avinash Amarnath, Xuebicoco, Rayo, Po Foon Kwong, Boffin, Jesse Jurman, Scott Markley and Elija Peterson.

[ThrillSeeker]

This is why we support medical research.

[timmisrael]

This disease really makes you think about who we really are as humans. It leaves only the shell, shedding away everything inside you.
Very unsettling

[-AyushSaha]

I had a friend whose grandma forgot even her son due to Alzheimer... and this seems devasting even to listen that something like this happens!

[kanellita]

I got back from caring for my grandma with Alzheimer's for a week, and it was very challenging. She doesn't remember me. It was most difficult when she imagined I was stealing from her, that really hurt my feelings.

[jolness]

My great grandma had Alzheimer’s and I always worried my grandma (who had the biggest impact on me of any person save my parents; maybe even more than my dad due to how much he traveled) would develop Alzheimer’s. As a kid I wanted to go into some sort of medical research because I so badly wanted to be able to hold on to her for longer. Long story short; she developed it much too early for me to be able to even start college. Watching someone I loved so much slip away for over a decade was so hard. I thought that when she died it wouldn’t be so bad because I had been grieving her for so long. It was bad. I know hereditary links for Alzheimer’s is pretty flimsy but I worry that my mother will develop it too. Every study, every potential medication to slow the progression, every test that gives us a better shot at detecting it early.. gives me hope.
All this to say.. it’s such a horrible disease and I feel for anyone going through that. My paternal grandmother has been diagnosed with probably Alzheimer’s disease as well and while I feel “prepared” I guess.. I know that despite not being nearly as close it will be painful and dredge up all sorts of painful memories.

[sarab]

My grandmother has Alzheimer. And it is difficult to deal with her. It's been a year now she gets worse day by day. She's taking medicines yet it doesn't ease her condition at all. Everyday is a hastle with her and she's illiterate, stubborn and she sometimes speaks in her native language which only her daughters understand. She wets her bed and refuses to confess to it, and sneaks into the toilet because she doesn't want anyone to see her go number1 or 2. She stays in one of the rooms of the house and thinks we're her neighbours once we step in on her. She makes up names to call us and talks about things that never happened and says that she spoke to people who are already dead. Sometimes if she is feeling worse, she claims that she is the cleaning lady at our house and that it's time for her to leave and go home, mind you she never worked a day in her life.

[johnnywatson]

I had acute and severe appendicitis when I was around 9 years old. Doctor said if the surgery had been an hour late, there would be no way for me to survive. So, I’m very grateful for modern medicine.

[mugurekimani]

In her book, Hellen Brain's character who is about 10 or 12 thinks Alzheimer's is called OldTimer's disease. I thought that was a good one.

[yuzuo]

Im trying to forget about my fear of dementia after listening too many EATEOT and now this video show up in my recommendation...

[bookwormweeb]

My grandma dies of Alzheimer's, the fact that she forgot everything and everyone till the phase where she were like a baby and dies will be always carried in my mind. If I test positive of Alzheimer's I will like to sign up for assistive death because i have no brother, i choose not to have kids cause i don't want to be a burden to them. If i ever had Alzheimer's i will like to signed up for assistive death, I'm not gonna be a burden to society.

[NITHINS]

Solution:
Excercise
Learn new skills

So, basically be active and cheerful

[MrFunnyPenny]

Basically, DON'T BE LAZY! Keep it moving! And keep on learning!

[Sunflowersarepretty]

I wish we can find cures to Cancers, Alzheimers and Insomnia. I have insomnia and im afraid I'm gonna have either of these two one day. It's scary.

[sarahlevine]

They are also looking into a protein called Reelin, which they think might help to detangle tau.

[kavithabr]

All we can do is better the life we already have. It's a fact that we can't change the inevitable. We just have to learn to go along.😇👍

[erdvilla]

I've always wondered if all these "Brain supplements" we are bombarded with since the 1960s have something to do with the more cases.
Even babies are given a ton of supplements in their formula, so "they grow smart, have better chances in life, their brains grow to their fullest potential...".
Wouldn't this accelerated development of the brain have an impact later in life?

[Jackie_YG]

Thank you for this beautiful illustration, for the animation, the nice music, the calm voice of the speaker, for the info, everything...Great work 🙏🌹

[dejesusrussell]

SLP here. Great video! I'd love to see one on Parkinsons

[kesler]

made me wanna rewatch the movie Father 2020, with Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. Great drama!

[FlynnMegaTensei]

My grandmother passed away over a decade before I was ever born, so I really hope medicine can evolve to the point of completely curing the disease.