Vaccine could cut Alzheimer's cases by half, claim scientists

The jab, developed by Swedish scientists, claims to delay the onset of the debilitating disease and could be the first step towards finding a cure.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and attacks nerves, brain cells and neurotransmitters that carry messages to and from the brain and in India, the cases run into thousands.

The vaccine, known as CAD106, helps patients create protective antibodies to defend against deposits that develop in the brain of sufferers, the Daily Mail reported.

Scientists, according to the Mail, hope the vaccine can delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years.

Researchers from Karolinska Institute in Sweden and from the Swedish Brain Power Network have claimed that their discovery could help people with mild to moderate versions of Alzheimer's.

They found no serious side effects during the tests, which took place over three years on people aged between 50 and 80.

One in 14 people over 65 years old is affected by the disease, according to the Alzheimer's Society. The risks increase with age, with around one in six people over 80 years old developing the condition.

According to the WHO, dementia is currently the fastest growing global health epidemic.