Alzheimer's disease is heartbreaking for patients and their families. Per the Mayo Clinic, "About 6.9 million people in the United States age 65 and older live with Alzheimer's disease. Among them, more than 70% are age 75 and older." Its effects include memory loss that can become so significant that a person's ability to navigate daily life can be greatly impaired. It's also a degenerative condition.
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However, according to the New York Post, an experimental drug has reportedly proved very helpful in temporarily mitigating one patient's Alzheimer's symptoms. In fact, the 80-year-old Japanese American female who was treated with this drug allegedly "showed remarkable signs of recovery."
This Drug Contains a Psychedelic Component
Per the outlet, there is presently no cure for Alzheimer's. As of now, the known treatments are considered "supportive." An Alzheimer's patient may eventually experience incontinence, communication challenges, loss of independence, and problems functioning socially.
Perhaps this drug represents hope on the horizon. Its name is psilocybin. It contains "the psychedelic component of magic mushrooms." Already being proclaimed as a potential treatment for conditions like addiction, anxiety, and depression, psilocybin may have value in treating Alzheimer's as well.
The Patient Who Took Psilocybin Rallied Astonishingly
The elderly patient who took psilocybin was a woman with a host of serious symptoms associated with Alzheimer's. Her case was described in Frontiers in Neuroscience. She could only talk a little, had bladder incontinence, and was highly reliant upon others for help with what the outlet calls "daily living."
She was given a 5g dose of the drug. After a period of "days and weeks," per the Post, she was able to get dressed by herself, had improved memory, possessed better urinary continence, and interacted with people more normally.
After a month, she said, "It is pleasant to come here." A smaller, 3g dose of psilocybin was then administered to this patient. She was more verbal and mobile.
There Are Some Caveats
The people who wrote this study caution that psilocybin does not reverse Alzheimer's disease. The improvements this patient demonstrated, although stunning, were merely temporary. Undoubtedly, much more research needs to be done. Nevertheless, psilocybin may be a promising treatment for Alzheimer's patients in the future.
