Latest news with #Alzheimer's-like
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Scientists Discover Molecule That Blocks Aging And Dementia in Mice
Scientists are looking at ways to tackle Alzheimer's and dementia from all kinds of angles, and a new study has identified the molecule hevin (or SPARCL-1) as a potential way of preventing cognitive decline. Hevin is a protein naturally produced in the brain by cells called astrocytes. These support-worker cells look after the connections or synapses between neurons, and it's thought that hevin plays a role in this essential work. In this new study, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the University of São Paulo in Brazil boosted hevin production in the brains of both healthy mice and those with an Alzheimer's-like disease. That hevin overload worked wonders: over six months of testing, the treated mice demonstrated better memory and learning capability than untreated animals, while brain scans showed improved neuron communication across synapses. "Hevin is a well-known molecule involved in neural plasticity," says neurobiologist Flávia Alcantara Gomes from UFRJ. "We found that the overproduction of hevin is capable of reversing cognitive deficits in aged animals by improving the quality of synapses in these rodents." Further analysis showed that the additional hevin in the mouse brains was triggering the production of other proteins related to synapse health. It seems hevin isn't working alone when it comes to maintaining neuron connectivity. The research team also looked at the wider context, digging into publicly available health data to find that hevin levels in the brains of Alzheimer's patients were lower than normal. That suggests hevin and astrocytes do have a role to play in the disease. "The originality lies in understanding the role of the astrocyte in this process," says Gomes. "We've taken the focus away from neurons, shedding light on the role of astrocytes, which we've shown could also be a target for new treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment." It will take a significant amount of time to go from lab tests in mice to actual treatments that people with dementia are able to take, of course, but it's a promising start – and eventually, treatments based on these findings could complement other drugs. Many of the treatments currently being explored for Alzheimer's look to tackle the toxic protein clumps that build up in the brain, but those protein bundles aren't targeted by hevin. In fact, the new research showed hevin had no impact on plaque build-up, which could support the emerging idea that they aren't a 'cause'. "Although there's still no consensus among researchers, I work with the hypothesis that the formation of beta-amyloid plaques isn't the cause of Alzheimer's," says Felipe Cabral-Miranda, biomedical scientist at UFRJ. "And the results of the study, by providing proof of concept for a molecule that can reverse cognitive decline without affecting beta-amyloid plaques, support the hypothesis that these, although involved in the mechanisms of the pathology, aren't enough to cause Alzheimer's." It's a complex picture, and while we're still not sure how Alzheimer's disease gets started in the brain, it's probable that numerous factors are involved. That means any potential treatment or prevention is going to need to be complex as well. "Of course, in the future it'll be possible to develop drugs that have the same effect as hevin," says Gomes. "For now, however, the fundamental benefit of this work is a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease and the aging process." The research has been published in Aging Cell. Your Coffee May Not Even Need Caffeine to Wake You Up Your Stress Could Be a Hidden Trigger For Future Dementia Over 2 Million Americans Went 'Missing' During 2020 And 2021
Daily Maverick
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Alzheimer's: certain combinations of prescription drugs may slow progression of the disease, says mice study
However, our study also revealed that in female mice, certain prescription drug combos actually sped up the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Millions of older adults take five or more prescription drugs every day to manage chronic illnesses. While polypharmacy is often necessary, this practice has also been linked to many negative health outcomes in older adults – including memory problems, increased risk of falls and greater frailty. The most common prescription drugs involved in polypharmacy are those used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression. Importantly, these same conditions are also known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. This raises an important question: could polypharmacy have any influence on the progression of Alzheimer's disease? Our recent research in mice suggests that certain prescription drugs combinations might actually have a positive effect on memory and signs of Alzheimer's disease. However, these effects appeared to differ depending on whether the mouse was male or female. To better understand how polypharmacy may affect Alzheimer's disease, we designed an experiment using mice that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's-like brain changes. These mice had amyloid plaques – clumps of protein in the brain that, with time, are linked with memory loss and considered a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease . We tested two different combinations of five commonly prescribed drugs, including: analgesics (painkillers), antithrombotics (to prevent blood clots), lipid-modifying agents (such as statins, which lower cholestrol), beta-blockers (which help controlling arrythmias and hypertension) and Ace inhibitors (used to treat cardiovascular conditions), as well as antidepressants. Both groups of mice were given paracetamol, aspirin, an antidepressant, a statin and a blood pressure drug. The only differences between the two groups were the specific types of statin and cardiovascular drugs used. The first group were given simvastatin and metoprolol, while the second group was given atorvastatin and enalapril. We gave these prescription drug combinations to both male and female mice. We then tested their memory, examined their brains for signs of disease and analysed blood samples for disease-related markers. Our findings showed that polypharmacy has both positive and negative effects on Alzheimer's disease progression. The effects largely depended on which specific drug combinations were used as well as the sex of the mice. The first drug combination had beneficial effects in male mice. These mice showed better memory, reduced signs of Alzheimer's pathology in the brain (such as the number and size of amyloid plaques) and fewer signs of the disease in their blood. This suggested that polypharmacy delayed the progression of Alzheimer's disease. In females, however, the same combination had very little to no effect on signs and symptoms of the disease. But for the mice in the second combination group, the results were different. The benefits previously seen in males disappeared. In female mice, their memory worsened. We also looked at what happened when some of the drugs were taken on their own. In some cases, they had beneficial effects for the female mice – improving memory and signs of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. For instance, the statin simvastatin improved memory and reduced signs of brain inflammation in female mice when the drug was taken on its own. Polypharmacy and brain health These results show how complex the effects of polypharmacy can be, especially in the context of a brain disease such as Alzheimer's. They also suggest that men and women may respond differently to certain drug combinations. This is not surprising. Biological sex is known to influence how drugs are absorbed and metabolised and their effect on the body. When it comes to polypharmacy, these differences can become more pronounced, having an even stronger effect on drug safety and efficacy. This could partly help explain why the same drug combinations had very different effects in the male and female mice in our study. Other possible explanations for why certain drug combinations only improved signs and symptoms of the disease in male mice include sex differences in hormone levels and differences in immune responses that may influence how drugs work in the brain. Understanding these mechanisms will be key to tailoring safer and more effective treatments for the disease. Our study confirms that current, universal prescribing approaches for older adults may not be ideal. It's also worth noting that older women are more likely to be polypharmacy users compared to men. This highlights the importance of understanding the effects of polypharmacy that are specific to men and women, and developing more personalised prescribing approaches. Future translational studies (from mice to humans) looking at how drug combinations affect Alzheimer's in males and females are also warranted to help reduce risks and improve healthcare in the ageing population. Residents play Scrabble on a house's terrace in Village Landais, a residential care village for people suffering from various stages of dementia that encourages a sense of autonomy and accomplishment, in Dax, France. Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images The global population is continuing to age, which means that an even greater number of people are going to be at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. This is why it's so important we understand all of the causes of the disease and how it can be prevented. DM
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
3 cases of rare brain disease reported in Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Three cases of a rare, fatal brain disease have been reported by public health officials in Oregon's Hood River County. The cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have been confirmed over the last eight months, and it's unclear if these cases are linked at this time, according to the Hood River County Health Department on Friday. The Oregonian/OregonLive, which was the first to report on the cases, says two of the cases have resulted in deaths. Nexstar's KOIN reached out to the Hood River County Health Department for confirmation but did not immediately receive a response. California town reports third fatality related to rare virus linked to death of Gene Hackman's wife No other details about the local cases were immediately available. In a Facebook post announcing the investigation, health department officials for Hood River County described the risk to the public as 'extremely low.' Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is the result of a prion, a type of infectious protein, triggering a body's normal proteins to misfold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no treatment or cure, and will typically lead to death within a year from when symptoms begin. A neurodegenerative disorder, CJD is characterized by Alzheimer's-like symptoms, though they get worse 'much faster,' the Mayo Clinic writes. Specifically, symptoms can include memory loss, coordination issues, trouble speaking, and personality changes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hood River County health officials say most cases of CJD can happen without a known reason, but sometimes it can be inherited by running in families and in very rare cases, it can be spread through certain medical exposures or by eating infected beef. The latter is often referred to as 'variant CJD,' the CDC says. Search continues for Las Vegas veterinarian who apologized for kicking horse A report published last year suggested two hunters contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease after eating venison from deer infected with chronic wasting disease, also a prion disease. The researchers behind the study noted the causation was 'unproven' and that further investigation is needed. Authorities in Oregon have not yet said what may have caused the recent cases. The rate of CJD diagnoses in the U.S. is about one person per million, the CDC estimates. Nexstar's Michael Bartiromo and Addy Bink contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Euronews
23-03-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Common herbs like rosemary may have inspired a breakthrough Alzheimer's treatment
ADVERTISEMENT Researchers have found a compound derived from common herbs has successfully enhanced memory and brain density in mice, and could lead to new treatments for Alzheimer's. A team from The Scripps Research Institute based in the US worked on a derivative of carnosic acid, a molecule found in rosemary and sage. They synthesised a more stable derivative called diAcCA and then used it to treat mice modified to show Alzheimer's-like symptoms for three months. The mice that received the new drug showed improved learning and memory skills as well as more synapses, the junctions where neurons connect and communicate with each other, according to the findings published in the journal Antioxidants . The loss of synapses correlates strongly with cognitive decline. The mice also showed less buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, two harmful proteins among the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in humans. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 70 per cent of dementia cases. Related Experimental drug may slow dementia onset for patients with rare genetic form of Alzheimer's It poses a significant and growing burden across Europe, affecting approximately 7 million people today, with numbers projected to double to 14 million by 2030 due to its ageing population. 'By combating inflammation and oxidative stress with this diAcCA compound, we actually increased the number of synapses in the brain,' Stuart Lipton, a professor at Scripps Research and one of the study's authors, said in a statement. 'We also took down other misfolded or aggregated proteins such as phosphorylated-tau and amyloid-β, which are thought to trigger Alzheimer's disease and serve as biomarkers of the disease process,' he added. An anti-oxydant molecule Carnosic acid is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory but it has a very short shelf-life, while the diAcCA can be taken orally before being converted into carnosic acid in the stomach and entering the bloodstream. The amount in the blood of the test mice was 20 per cent higher with the new method compared to usual ingestion of carnosic acid. 'We did multiple different tests of memory, and they were all improved with the drug,' Lipton said. 'And it didn't just slow down the decline; it improved virtually back to normal,' he added. The researchers added that the mice tolerated diAcCA well.
