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We previously shared a story about researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas making progress on a vaccine to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Recently, another team at the University of New Mexico made even more progress. Learn more about how researchers are working to slow the spread of Alzheimer's. UPDATE: A team of researchers at the University of New Mexico is also making progress on an Alzheimer's vaccine as well. According to a Monday release, scientists tested the vaccine on mice and found the animals were able to develop antibodies that combatted tau tangles, which can block communication between neurons. There is hope that a new Alzheimer's disease vaccine may be in the works. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have been testing an experimental vaccine on mice and other animals. They are showing promising results. Currently, Trials Are Only Being Run On Animals Flickr Alzheimer's disease and dementia cause memory loss, confusion, and other symptoms, generally in older people. It can be a debilitating disease and very difficult for the person and their families. Any type of vaccine that could delay symptoms and side effects would be a huge win for those who suffer from this horrible disease. Vaccine / tOrange.biz Currently, researchers are only testing this vaccine on animals. Going from animal testing to human trials is very long and difficult. However, if the vaccine continues to do well and is proven to be safe and effective in human trials, it could end up reducing the number of dementia diagnoses in half. It could also delay the disease's effects by five years. Wikimedia Commons There have been previous experimental vaccines, but those caused damaging side effects including brain inflammation. Tests with the new vaccine done on monkeys and rabbits have found that the vaccine works by causing the body to produce antibodies. These antibodies reduce the buildup of certain proteins that show the disease's presence in the body. The Potential Of This New Vaccine Health.mil The new vaccine may be able to stop the buildup of abnormal protein structures in the brain without causing damaging inflammation. However, until researchers are able to finalize animal testing and begin human trials, no word on if this vaccine will be approved or what the future may hold for Alzheimer's disease and dementia sufferers. Flickr Alzheimer's disease is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Around 5.7 million people in the U.S. are currently living with the disease. Scientists also predict a rise in cases of Alzheimer's and a rise in the death toll. We hope that a new vaccine will be able to save lives and cut down the risk of death! Pexels What do you think about this new vaccine being tested on animals? Do you hope that it will make it to a human trial and be available one day? How long do you think it will take? Studies show that babysitting your grandchildren could lower your risk of Alzheimer's too!