In the United States, about one in nine people who are 65 or older have Alzheimers. Under rare conditions, Alzhimers can be transmitted between people. 

     University College London neurologist  John Collinge says “we are not suggesting for a moment that you can catch Alzheimer’s disease.” Collinge also adds to Science News that it is not transmissible like a viral or bacterial infection. 

     University of California neurobiologist  Carlo Condello mentions that “only under incredibly artificial, now out-of-date, medical practices is this appearing. It’s no longer an issue.”

     Researchers are now devising a blood biomarker test in hopes to catch the disease. In the recent study that was explained by Medical News Today, there were people aged 60 to 85. They were then divided into three groups; cognitively healthy, mild cognitive impairment, and mild Alzheimer’s disease. All participants went through three steps, which included cognitive testing and blood sampling, PET scans, and blood sampling. 

     According to Medical News Today, researchers are looking at a possible vaccine that protects a person from developing dementia. A vaccine would work as a subunit vaccine which would only use a piece of the pathogen. This is made possible by the use of DNA technology that raises antibodies against an immune response. 

     Dr. Heather Snyder, vice president and scientific relations for Alzheimer’s Association, says that there is currently research exploring active immunization. Snyder also adds to Medical News Today that these “vaccines that are being developed to target the biology related to Alzheimer’s.” 

     Snyder discussed her research to Medical News Today, explaining that there are different types of delivery systems and types of biology that may be targeted with a vaccine for a potential therapy. 

      Snyder also explains that one of the Alzheimer’s Association programs is funding an early phase clinical trial that uses a vaccine to reduce brain inflammation of those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, according to Medical News Today. 

     Dr. David Merrill, a psychiatrist and director of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Pacific Brain Health Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, tells Medical News Today of what the vaccine would look like. It would most likely include a series of single doses throughout the year for the vaccine to be effective. 

     The public’s use of the vaccine is years away from being used as doctors and researchers need time to research in diverse human populations before it becomes accessible.