A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky has found that a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is potentially effective as a therapy for Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's is a progressive and irreversible neurological disorder. It's estimated 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with the disease that affects cognitive function, memory and behavior.
The team studied ponesimod, an oral medication that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved to treat relapsing forms of MS. The medication reduces inflammation in the brain by targeting a specific receptor in the UK researchers homed in on a specific type of cell found in the central nervous system called microglia. The cells have several functions in our bodies, including regulating inflammatory responses in the central nervous system—the brain and the spinal cord.like Alzheimer's because those cells help clear out the buildup of abnormal protein deposits in the brain—a distinct characteristic of the disease.
As part of the project, researchers studied mice with specific genetic strains that express the major features of Alzheimer's in their brains. They treated half of the mice with ponesimod and measured specific cell activity in the brain. The mice's spatial memory was also tested through a maze behavior test.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Aligning Rhythms, Defying Alzheimer's: Intermittent Fasting's Role in Combating Alzheimer's Disease NeurodegenerationThought Leaders Dr.
Read more »
Blood biomarker shows 'great promise' predicting progression to Alzheimer's disease in at-risk populationNeuroscience researchers at Wayne State University published a review article that confirms the usefulness of neurofilament light (NfL) blood levels to predict the likelihood and rate of progression of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The review article, 'The Potential of Blood Neurofilament Light as a Marker of Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease,' is published in the journal Brain.
Read more »
New blood test gives high accuracy screen for Alzheimer's diseaseA new blood test called p-tau217 shows promise as an Alzheimer's disease biomarker, and when used in a two-step workflow very high accuracy to either identify or exclude brain amyloidosis, the most important and earliest pathology. That is an innovation now presented by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, together with colleagues at University of Lund and in Montreal, Canada.
Read more »
Discoveries on memory mechanisms could unlock new therapies for Alzheimer's and other brain diseasesScientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have made a 'paradigm shifting' discovery on the mechanisms required for learning and memory that could lead to new therapies for Alzheimer's disease and potentially Down syndrome. The study was published in the journal Nature.
Read more »
New study finds genetic factor fends off Alzheimer's and Parkinson'sAbout one in every five people carries a version of a gene that—although largely unsung—appears to confer protection against both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, Stanford Medicine investigators and their colleagues have learned. These lucky people may someday benefit all the more from a vaccine that could slow or stall the progression of these two most common neurodegenerative conditions.
Read more »
Educational attainment found to protect against a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's diseaseA new study by researchers from Mass General Brigham further illustrates that when it comes to risk of Alzheimer's disease, even genetically determined forms of the disease, genetics is only one piece of the puzzle.
Read more »