Drug Halts Alzheimer ’s Related Tau Damage in Brain

In some people, the brain protein tau collects into toxic tangles that damage brain cells and contribute to diseases such as Alzheimer ’s.By Alzheimer's Reading RoomResearchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a drug that can lower tau levels and prevent some neurological damage.I thought this information was interesting so I decided to bring this research summary up for all to read.Note: Oligonucleotide treatments have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for two neuromuscular diseases.How to Adapt the Caregiver Brain to Alzheimer's and DementiaSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:Under ordinary circumstances, the protein tau contributes to the normal, healthy functioning of brain neurons. In some people, though,it collects into toxic tangles that damage brain cells. Suchtangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer ’sand other neurodegenerative diseases.Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown thatlevels of the tau protein can be reduced– andsome of the neurological damage caused by tau even reversed­– by a synthetic molecule that targets the genetic instructions for building tau before the protein is made.“We’ve shown thatthis molecule lowers levels of the tau protein, preventing and, in some cases, reversing the neurological damage. This compoundis the first that has been shown to reverse tau-related damage to the brain that also has the potential to be used as a therapeuti...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer alzheimers drug alzheimers treatment dementia care health help alzheimer's help with dementia care science tau Source Type: blogs