Alzheimer's disease: early diagnosis and treatment prospects
The staff of University College London tested a new drug for Alzheimer's disease and found the test results very promising (UK drug shows early promise against Alzheimer's).
An experiment on five patients showed that as a result of taking the drug CPHPC for three months, the SAP protein involved in the development of the disease disappeared in their brain. According to doctors, this protein protects amyloid plaques from recognition by the immune system.
Financial support for the study was provided by the British charity Alzheimer's Research Foundation. Representatives of the organization say that the results of testing of the new drug are encouraging, but it is too early to say that it is able to remove the SAP protein from the brain of patients. To make sure of this, a number of large-scale clinical studies will be required.
Recall that in February, researchers from Yale University (USA) found an explanation for why Alzheimer's disease occurs. Scientists have discovered that prion cellular proteins activate the process by which beta-amyloid peptides form plaques in the brain and impair a person's mental abilities (Scientists Spot New Clue to Alzheimer's).
Until now, experts knew that beta-amyloids are harmful to the brain, but exactly how they affect neurons was not entirely clear. The results of the latest study showed that beta-amyloid peptides "stick" to prions, as a result of which brain cells are damaged.
Prion proteins are found in all cells of the human body and are usually harmless. However, having an abnormal three-dimensional structure, they can attach to the target protein and change its shape, which causes severe neurodegenerative diseases. According to Professor of neurology Stephen Strittmatter, who led the study, new drugs against Alzheimer's disease should be targeted specifically at prions involved in the initial stage of the disease.
And in March, the staff of the Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) presented a new method of testing patients, which allows detecting Alzheimer's disease in the early stages, even before the onset of the first symptoms of the disease (UK drug shows early promise against Alzheimer's).
The test involves measuring the level of beta-amyloid protein and tau protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), that is, searching for biomarkers of the disease. This method of analysis makes it possible to predict with 87 percent accuracy which patients with symptoms of cognitive disorders will subsequently be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
During the experiment, the researchers analyzed the cerebrospinal fluid of 410 people. The results showed that Alzheimer's disease occurs more often in those who have a low concentration of amyloid polypeptide Beta-42. This can probably be explained by the fact that beta-amyloid accumulates in plaques that form in the brain during the disease. Those who have a lot of tau protein in their liquor are also at risk of getting sick. According to doctors, an increase in the content of this protein in the cerebrospinal fluid occurs as a result of the death of nerve cells.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of "Compulents"
16.04.2009