Alzheimer’s patient finds hope with new medication

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Ann Lange, a reading specialist, became frustrated when she began forgetting things at school, including information about her students. Knowing the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease, she and her husband of 40 years, Brad, talked to their primary care provider.

A referral to MercyOne Genesis neurologist Dr. Rodney Short and a variety of tests led to an official diagnosis of Alzheimer’s for Ann in 2015. Ten years later, she now takes a new FDA-approved drug for Alzheimer’s called Leqembi®. This treatment is offered at MercyOne Genesis Neurology Care and other MercyOne locations.

“For the first time in the history of this disease, we actually do have some hope,” Dr. Short said.

Since Ann's diagnosis, she’s defied the odds with the help of medication and hasn’t progressed past the mild stage of Alzheimer’s.  

The fight is on

Ann’s diagnosis wasn’t the couple’s first introduction to the disease. "Ann's dad and brother died of it,” Brad said, noting the disease can run in families.

For that reason, the couple immediately asked Dr. Short about experimental medications or clinical trials. Ann was a perfect candidate because she was diagnosed early, had mild symptoms and was otherwise healthy and active, not to mention her family history with the disease. "For anyone I diagnose with Alzheimer’s, I discuss going to a research center for a clinical trial because that's how we learn about these medicines," Dr. Short said.  

Brad didn’t shy away from the word "experimental" because he saw the disease horribly impact his father-in-law's quality of life. In 2016, Ann was accepted into a clinical trial in Chicago and tried a new, experimental medication for a few years. However, Brad could always tell when the drug was wearing off toward the end of the month, and Ann would comment she felt “at her lowest point.”

New FDA-approved medications  

After that initial trial, Dr. Short put Ann on Leqembi, which had fewer side effects. In 2023, the FDA approved Leqembi for Alzheimer's treatment and a year later a second medication, Kisunla®.  Ann takes Leqembi every two weeks.

The only side effect Ann faced with Leqembi were micro brain bleeds, which eventually went away.  

According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. Dementia is an umbrella term for declining memory, while Alzheimer's is a specific disease. The association describes its progression in three phases: mild, moderate and severe.

The average lifespan of an Alzheimer's patient is seven to eight years from the time of diagnosis. "Ann definitely seems to be an outlier. To be nearly 10 years into this and still functioning as well as she has, it's unusual," Dr. Short said. The medications aren't intended to cure Alzheimer's but instead lengthen the period between the three stages.  

Brad sees the positive results, "Ann remembers everybody and still is a very sociable person with a large group of friends," he said. Additionally, Ann remains active, walking 10,000 steps a day. Brad says it's a stark contrast to his father-in-law, who "became kind of a hermit" and experienced severe personality changes. While Ann asks multiple times what day of the week it is, she still remembers important events.  

"I can't say enough nice things about Dr. Short. It's rare to have a provider with a great bedside manner for the patient and a calming nature for the caregiver," Brad said.

Clinic dedicated to memory disorders

Dr. Short has practiced general neurology in the Quad-Cities for more than 20 years. In recent years, he shifted his focus almost entirely to Alzheimer's and dementia-related cases. "We finally have medications that appear to alter the progression of the disease, so we've created a new clinic to focus on evaluating and screening patients who may be candidates for these two new medications," he said.  

"Our patients have been referred for memory problems, so we do the appropriate workup, which may include a brain scan, blood work, spinal fluid testing and sometimes a PET scan. After all the testing, we hopefully determine what's causing their memory problems and find an appropriate treatment plan." The clinic is open for non-referrals as well.  

The gift of hope

The Langes believe Ann has a tremendous gift-- more time with her family. "It's important for the grandkids to know their grandmother," Brad said. "And for our sons, they've seen what happened to their grandfather and know what's on the horizon without treatment. Things like this clinic are a gift of hope.”

Brad credits the new medications and Dr. Short’s team for his wife's success, but it's clear there's one more thing that makes Ann's case extra special. Love is the most powerful drug, and her family has a never-ending supply.

Visit with your primary care provider to determine if you need to see a neurologist about any of the signs above.