Vitamin E may Help Delay Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers say that high doses of vitamin E may help delay progression of Alzheimer’s disease by 20 percent, in those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. "What we saw was a benefit in slowing the progression of functional decline,” said Mary Sano, PhD, Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Professor of Psychiatry, and Director of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “That means slowing the rate at which they lose functional activities, such as preparing meals, handling finances. The clinical trial monitored 613 patients at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers for five years, and its findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "There is a loss of nerve cells in key regions of the brain, especially as the disease begins,” said Sam Gandy, PhD, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, and Associate Director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who has been working on the project for four years. “One thing that would be desirable, would be to try and keep those nerve cells alive for as long as possible.”

-Dr. Mary Sano, Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Professor, Psychiatry, Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
-Dr. Sam Gandy, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Associate Director, Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai