Alzheimer's treatment: landmark study gives hope for simple pill

Expert predicts future generations would see findings as historic turning point in fight against degenerative brain diseasesA landmark British study has raised the prospect of a pill that could treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer's by halting the death of neurons.The research, performed on sick mice, is at a very early stage and it could be a decade or more before any medicine is developed.But experts say the results are highly significant, and one predicted future generations would see the findings as a historic turning point.The Medical Research Council (MRC) team focused on the root cause of many degenerative brain diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's – abnormally shaped proteins that stick together in clumps and fibres.When enough misshapen protein builds up in the brain, it can trigger a reaction that results in the death of nerve cells.Other approaches have sought to stop or limit the accumulation of the abnormal protein, whose structure is folded the wrong way. Instead, the MRC team targeted the harmful way brain cells react to misfolded proteins.Using a drug injected into the stomachs of mice, they flipped a cellular switch from off to on to prevent neurons dying.Five weeks after treatment, one group of mice remained free of symptoms such as memory loss, impaired reflexes or limb dragging. They also lived longer than untreated animals with the same disease.The mice suffered serious side effects, including weight loss and raised blood sugar, and the sci...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Tags: The Guardian News Health Medical research Society Alzheimer's UK news Science Source Type: news