AdrughasstoppedbraindeteriorationinAlzheimer’s（早老性痴呆病）patientsforthefirsttimescientistsannouncedyesterday.Mentaldeclinewasstoppedfor18monthsinsomepatientsinresultsdescribedas(21)(strong)

Question

A drug has stopped brain deterioration in Alzheimer’s（早老性痴呆病） patients for the first time scientists announced yesterday.

Mental decline was stopped for 18 months in some patients in results described as (21)______ (strong) sign yet that an effective treatment for the disease is near. Researchers said that the drug — (22)______ (take) as a tablet twice a day — could soon become the first medicine given to Alzheimer’s patients to keep the disease at bay for as long as possible.

The final-stage trial had at first appeared (23)______ (be) a failure as the drug did not work in patients who were taking other dementia（痴呆，精神错乱） medicines. (24)______ among the 15 per cent of 891 patients not taking other medicines the drug appeared to have remarkable effects.

These patients say no drop-off in their reasoning and memory skills over 18 months nor in their ability to carry out everyday tasks.

 (25)______ key areas of their brain shrank a third less than other patients in the trial researchers told the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto.

“There is a pattern of disease modification here ” Serge Gauthier of McGill University (26)______ presented the results said. “This is the first time it (27)______ (happen) in our field that a drug reduces the rate of brain atrophy（萎缩）.”

At present patients are prescribed drugs such as donepezil which help to control symptoms for a time but do not stop worsening damage to the brain.

Doctor Gauthier said it was a surprise (28)______ other dementia drugs appeared to cancel out the effects of the new drug called LMTX or LMTM but (29) _______that just as cancer patients were given some medicines initially and then switched (30)______ _______ those stopped working so Alzheimer’s patients could be given LMTX as a first-choice drug.

“I’m excited about the promise of LMTX ” he said.

Answer 1

21. the strongest          22. taken       23. to be       24.However 25.Besides/Furthermore   26.who                             27. has happened  28. that      29. added           30. only if