LISTEN: An Atlanta man is among the first being treated with a new medication designed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. GPB’s Ellen Eldridge reports.
A year and a half ago, George King of Atlanta was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a degenerative disease of dementia, but the 78-year-old said his symptoms have improved since he started taking transfusions of Leqembi.
In an interesting coincidence, his diagnosis came around the same time the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its approval to treat patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
The drug works by reducing amyloid plaques that form in the brain, the presence of which is a defining feature of the disease.
King began Leqembi as soon as Medicare covered it, about a year ago.
Changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's include amyloid beta plaque buildup, which Leqembi addresses, as well as a loss of neurons and their connections.
The irreversible, progressive brain disorder affects more than 6.5 million Americans, slowly destroying memory and cognitive skills.
"I barely have a short-term memory," King said, describing how he can veer off topic when something triggers a memory, and then wonder where he was. "Otherwise, I feel pretty sharp."
He and his wife continue to travel and enjoy every moment in life.
"You learn workarounds, and you learn to sort of deal with problems in a different way," King said. "Because now you understand something about why your short-term memory is problematic."
His diagnosis is a tool.
"The bottom line is, I don't think they know what this drug can do because there's no longitudinal testing," King said. "I mean, nobody's been taking it, even the test groups, for more than two or three years.
When people ask King how he feels, he says "fine," but as far as whether he feels better needs a qualifier.
"The real answer is, 'Well, I didn't expect to feel better; I expected not to feel worse,'" King said. "I must say, I do feel more focused than when I was diagnosed."
King said he believes his continued travel and new experiences are also helping his brain fight decline.
