Alzheimer's Disease currently affects around 12 million people around the world. Advances in treating the disease have been few and far between but perhaps there is now some hope.

As the world’s population ages the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s is on the increase. Researchers have been looking for a way of reducing the affects of the disease for many years but very little has been achieved. 

Now however, there may be a glimmer of hope as a team at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and Cornell Medical Centre reported to a conference earlier this week. 

A test of the spinal fluid of Alzheimer’s sufferers showed that there was a marked reduction in the amount of amyloid protein in these people. This loss in protein can be halted by a mixture of human antibodies known as IVIg. 

This mixture is introduced into Alzheimer’s sufferers by way of an intravenous drip and when the team tried the treatment on eight Alzheimer’s sufferers the progression of the disease appeared to be halted in six of them. Some even showed a slight improvement in their condition.

The treatment is not some quick fix and the positive results were only achieved after the patients had been receiving the treatment for 18 months.