Breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease?
When people suffer from Alzheimer’s, this leads to a loss of memory the Affected. Experts have long been looking for Ways to prevent these effects of the disease or reverse. Doctors managed now, the memory loss in mice with Alzheimer’s reversed. This could also be people with Alzheimer’s possible?
The scientists from the University of Buffalo found in their investigation that it is possible to make the memory loss of mice with Alzheimer’s reversed. The researchers published the results of their study in the English-language scientific journal “Brain”.
There is no treatment to cure Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease impairs the ability of neurons to transmit electrical signals in the memory formation responsible brain areas. There are currently no treatments that cure the progression of the disease or on duration of delay. The scientists studied genetic changes that affect how DNA instructions in the cell (called epigenetics) and expressed to be read. By the decryption, which epigenetic changes affect the signalling between neurons and lead to loss of memory, tried the physician to determine which medicines could be effective for the treatment of the disease.
Memory loss could be repealed
The doctors have not only identified the epigenetic factors that contribute to memory loss, but have also found ways, in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease temporarily suspend, says study author, Professor Zhen Yan from the University of Buffalo.
Alzheimer’s causes the removal of important receptors
Most of the research work is focused to combat the build-up of toxic deposits of the protein molecules. Professor Yan and his colleagues studied another factor that affects the memory formation. They found that neurons in the frontal cortex and to the receptors for an important Neurotransmitter (glutamate) – in Parts of the brain important for working memory responsible. Post-mortem examinations of Alzheimer’s patients showed that these receptors were absent. This led the doctors to a particular group of enzymes, which could affect the the Neurotransmitter responsible for production genes. As the mice with Alzheimer’s disease, this enzyme inhibitors were administered, it could be confirmed the maintenance of cognitive function through reviews of the so-called recognition memory, spatial memory, and working memory, says Professor Yan.
Improvements lasted only for a short
These improvements lasted only a week, but the Prof. Yan and his colleagues of a method of Administration that enables the drug to reach more neurons of the brain and to achieve a stronger effect work on the.
Further research is needed
The short-lived findings in mice do not guarantee, however, that the same effects occur in humans. One of the most exciting aspects of epigenetic research is that the Changes may be reversible, says Dr. Rosa Sancho of Alzheimer’s Research UK on the results of the study. In mice, the results obtained must now be tested in humans. (as)
