Scientists have discovered a drug that could Alzheimer’s diseases years before the first symptoms start to show. According to Case Western Reserve University researchers, the new breakthrough drug could treat the most common dementia form years before symptoms begin.
Alzheimer’s can be treated earlier
The scientists indicate that the treatment targets the first signs of Alzheimer’s diseases which ate the chemical build-ups that kill neurons and accelerate brain inflammation. Usually, Alzheimer’s disease symptoms don’t appear until late when mental decline starts to appear. Therefore treating the disease earlier could be important in preserving memory and cognitive skills.
In a statement, the lead author of the study Dr. Xin Qi said that addressing the disease early has been the missing part of the puzzle. Qi added that they have discovered an accessible pathway to the detection of early signs and possible treatment before the devastating disease does damage.
Dr. Andrew Pieper also added that there is a growing body of evidence on Alzheimer’s diseases developing much earlier than thought previously. He said that the disease could start developing even decades earlier before the clinical diagnosis of the condition. Pieper added that early detection of the disease and potential treatment could be vital in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease’s devastating effects.
Scientists discover a pathway to be targeted in Alzheimer’s treatment
According to an experiment on mice, there is a small peptide inhibitor that halts mental degeneration by destroying DRP1 protein. This is part of the pathway which normally reduces myelin the protective nerves sheath in the white matter responsible for communication in brain cells. The researchers confirmed this discovery in brain samples of Alzheimer’s patients and already they have patented the treatment. The team expects that pathway manipulation with medication can save myelin-producing oligodendrocytes (OLs).
Most importantly the pathway discovered by Qi’s team could be targeted for treatment before the progression of Alzheimer’s to a point of causing cognitive issues. All forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s are a result of clumping of amyloids beta and tau proteins which leads to nerve death. Most risk factors include genetics, ages, and traumatic brain injury.
