Something upbeat for a change

Researchers are making strides in the treatment of Alzheimer's, says Tuesday's New York Times.

There is no cure, no known way to prevent the illness, and the benefits of current treatments are modest at best.

But in laboratories around the country, scientists are uncovering clues that may eventually - perhaps even in the next two decades - allow them to prevent, slow or even reverse the ruthless progression of the illness.

Some of those researches revolve around finding new uses for existing medications, based on new findings that connect increased risk of Alzheimer's to other conditions. The idea is simply that medications effective against those diseases may also prove effective against at least the progression of the disease by acting on possible risk factors.

Even more encouraging is that

[r]esearchers have also found the first intimations that they may someday be able to reverse Alzheimer's destruction of the brain.

Something to hope for.