Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - According to a new report, more than 45,000 people in Central New York have Alzheimer's disease. The new report shows that in the last decade, the numbers of people living with the disease have grown by 20% to 40%.
The new report from the Alzheimer's Association was released Tuesday. It documents the disease's growth since the year 2000.
- Oswego County saw a 22% increase, or 2,625 people living with the disease.
- Onondaga County saw a 32% increase, or almost 12,000 people living with the disease.
- Oneida County saw a nearly 39% increase, or about 7,000 people living with the disease.
Doctors say the increase is due to their ability to diagnose patients earlier, and the fact that people are living longer.
Alice Brown was diagnosed with Alzheimer's seven years ago. Since then, her daughter Tammy Schanbacher has watched her mother's condition deteriorate. "We were inseparable. She was my best friend. As I see her now, she's not my mother anymore. The best she can do now is fold laundry that's all she can do!"
Dr. Smita Kittur is trying to do something about the disease. Patients at her Syracuse office are taking part in several studies on new drugs to treat the disease. She says that the results so far have been promising. "We knew before that this worked in animals but now we're showing in humans that these amyloid proteins can be prevented from being deposited."
Many of the drugs Dr. Kittur and her patients are testing are in Phase 3 testing, which means the next stop after these trials is FDA approval. She says the tests, so far, have been very positive.
Dr. Kittur will be starting another study this month that she's looking for Alzheimer's patients to take part in. If you think you or a family member might qualify, call her office at 315-701-4554.
