Jennifer Matthews: Music is always on to keep the mood up at Joe and Palmina Beato's house. Palmina has Alzheimer's and is very aware of what she's losing.
Palmina Beato: Well, I used to do everything.
Joseph Beato: She is a very good woman.
Palmina Beato: I used to do everything.
Jennifer Matthews: After 52 years together, the diagnosis is tough.
Joseph Beato: I don't want to lose my wife. That's the thing.
Palmina Beato: I'll be around.
Jennifer Matthews: Palmina is now in a study on the drug valproate to test its effect on agitation.
Saleem Ismail: About 50% of patients who have dementia or Alzheimer's disease do develop agitation at some point.
Jennifer Matthews: But what has researchers hopeful is the drug's potential to protect brain cells ravaged by the disease.
Saleem Ismail: If valproate works the way we think it works, it would actually protect the cell from dying.
Jennifer Matthews: Studies continue to uncover how much protection the drug actually offers. Palmina doesn't know if she got the drug or a placebo, but --
Joseph Beato: She didn't get worse. To me, that's an improvement right there.
Jennifer Matthews: The ongoing research gives them hope.
Joseph Beato: Because you always think, some day, it's going to be better.
Jennifer Matthews: And that's enough to keep the music on and their spirits up. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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