Arizona's Growing Alzheimer's Population Sought For Research Participation

By Andrew Bernier
Published: Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 8:06pm
Updated: Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 9:31pm
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The Noble Study/ADCS
Various brain scans of Alzheimer's patients.
Andrew Bernier/KJZZ
Dr. Marwan Sabbagh points to a model of the Amyloid protein stemming from a neuron.
Photo by Andrew Bernier - KJZZ
A model illustrating where the two different enzymes cut the amyloid protein. The Beta-Amyloid eventually forms a plaque.

As baby boomers age, retiring to the Southwest has become a popular option, making Arizona home to one of the largest Alzheimers populations in the country. That makes it a desirable place for Alzheimers research but will patients be willing to participate in new studies?

Alzheimers disease biologically affects one person, though it impacts entire families and communities. And as more seniors with Alzheimer's move to the Southwest or develop the disease while here, it can affect a region as well. Deborah Schaus is with the Alzheimer's Association Desert Southwest Chapter.

“In Arizona, there’s a 120,000 people with Alzheimers disease" Schaus said. "And is expected to have the third-highest growth rate in Alzheimers, between now and 2025, in the nation.”

She expects by 2025, 200,000 people will live in Arizona with Alzheimers. While the significant population increase may greatly affect the state, it also makes for a hotbed of possible research.

“There is more of an understanding in the general community, we hope, and we hope that this can continue to grow, about how important it is to volunteer, to become involved with research,” Schaus said.

A new program called Trial Match helps connect volunteers with studies. Schaus hopes researchers will list studies on it so Alzheimers patients with specific characteristics can see what experiments they are most appropriate for.

“Because if we can list their studies on Trial Match, that means that it’s even a wider audience who can become familiar with it," Schaus said. "It’s everyone that we’re enrolling in Trial Match who may be qualified for that particular study, will find out about it.”

One of those researchers is Dr. Marwan Sabbagh with the Sun Banner Health Research Institute.

“Arizona and Phoenix, in particular, is ground zero" Sabbagh said. "We are among the leaders. Arizona actually is now leading the charge nationally in treatments and preventions on Alzheimers."

He is helping lead The Noble Study, a pharmaceutical research initiative approaching the disease differently.

Brain cells, or neurons, communicate with each other by sending chemicals across a small space known as a synapse. There, a naturally occurring protein called Amyloid grows from the neuron and is typically cut by an enzyme and the Amyloid dissolves. In Alzheimers, a different enzyme cuts that Amyloid protein at a different spot where it can’t dissolve. Those ends build up in the synapse, forming a plaque and blocking the chemical signals between neurons.

Sabbagh says that most treatment has focused on Amyloid, with little to show for it.

“The whole theory of treatment in the last decade is about preventing it’s production or enhancing clearance," Sabbagh said. "But ten years and billions of dollars later, so far, it hasn't worked. And we haven’t started to stop the disease, not just the plaque.”

The Noble Study tests a drug that doesn’t bother with Amyloid, but rather attempts to increase the strength of chemicals crossing the synapse. Currently in it’s second trial, the study has had positive effects in some initial test groups, particularly those with mild to moderate Alzheimers.

"So this one sits in a sweet spot, because these are people that still are not so bad that you’re calling hospice but they still want and need care and change and future,” Sabbagh said.

To increase the sample size, the study has gone national and is hoping to tap into Arizona’s large Alzheimers population, but the study needs more participants.

“I hope I’ll get at least 10,” Sabbagh said.

And they only have one. Charles Ferrell is the husband and caretaker to the lone participant so far in the study.

“She knows that it won’t do anything, not likely to do anything for her," Ferrell said. "But that it may at some point, in time, result in a benefit to someone else. And my role in that is simply to support her.”

Along with participating in studies, Ferrell makes sure to keep his wife active.

“They say what’s good for the heart is good for the brain," Ferrell said. "And I think that’s true.”

They utilize the fitness center in their community and he makes sure to take her out dancing.

“Social ballroom dancing, not competitive stuff," Ferrell said. "Just social. And she loves to dance.”

Ferrell is encouraged with his wife’s participation in studies as her condition has remained stable. However, he knows that even though there is slight hope she will improve, there is a stark reality with this disease.

“This disease follows no rules," Ferrell said. "You can’t know that you’re going to go from step one to step two to step three.”

Still, Ferrell, Sabbagh and Schaus all echoed the Alzheimer’s community's optimism that soon researchers will find something to slow or stop the disease.

“The overarching message that I often hear from, especially people who themselves are in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease, they want to help future generations, their children and the grandchildren by contributing to Alzheimer's research now,” Schaus said.

And with the coming increase of Alzheimers patients to Arizona, there will be no shortage of those who can help with research.

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