It's estimated that 7.2 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's disease. And it’s the sixth leading cause of death among people ages 65 and older.

But new studies offer the promise of significant progress in the treatment of Alzheimer's.

The first, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, found that taking the diabetes-control medication Jardiance (empagliflozin) significantly lowered brain tangle-related tau in cerebrospinal fluid. It also changed blood flow in key brain regions.

In addition, the study found that intranasal insulin improved performance on tests that detect early memory and thinking changes. It also increased the structural integrity of white matter connections and changed blood flow patterns in brain areas related to memory. 

Both medications also boosted immune function and reduced inflammation.

The second study, conducted on mice, reveals a possible way to open up the waste-clearing channels in the brain to allow clumps and tangles of amyloid-beta plaques to be cleared out. Within hours of the first injection of nanoparticles, the mice flushed almost 45% of the tangles from their brain.

This doesn't mean it will be as effective for people — but it's a great first test.

Additionally, the findings of the randomized AMBAR studies revealed that therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) reversed cognitive function in early Alzheimer's patients. See my summary of the research on TPE at LifepanEdge.com.