Hacker News Reader

> If this theory, which Moir outlines in a review article published in the December issue of the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, proves true, it could mean researchers' current strategies to combat the disease — fighting the plaques — is misguided.

But it could still mean that preventing the plaque formation would stop the dementia, right?

View on HN

No, if the plaques are symptoms of a disease, supressing them equals supressing infection symptoms (fever)- you basically feel better but actually prolong the disease and accelerate it somewhat.

But that's worth exploring, right? I'm sure many people would prefer a lucid but shorter life than a longer one that is highly impacted by dementia symptoms

I think the idea is that the plaques are symptoms and that we should invest in the root cause. Like developing antibiotics instead of fever reducers. They both have a role, and I know where I'd allocate my resources.

Afaik, the drugs that reduce plaques have failed to actually alleviate symptoms of the disease.

>you basically feel better but actually prolong the disease and accelerate it somewhat.

That might be totally fine if the effects of the disease the plaques fight are not as bad as the disease they cause -- e.g. the "prolonged" disease is not as bad as Alzheimer.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com