plaque

New vaccine may stop, slow Alzheimer's

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Scientists at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation are reporting success in advancing an experimental, preclinical vaccine that can prevent or slow Alzheimer's. The researchers, led by Dr. Jordan Tang, immunized mice engineered with Alzheimer's with the memapsin 2 protein, which plays a role in the development of plaque believed to be central to the memory-wasting disease. Human trials of the vaccine could be just a few years away, though scientists say that any successful vaccine approach would likely be used in combination with other therapies. Other companies, most notably Elan, have attempted to advance vaccines, but failed.

"What we saw is that the mice immunized with memapsin 2 developed 35 percent fewer plaques than their non-vaccinated counterparts," said Tang. "Those immunized mice also performed better than control mice in tests designed to assess their cognitive function."

- here's the release for more information
- read this report on the project

ALSO: Children with a gene known to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease already show signs of reduced cognitive function, a study has found. Release

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Anesthetics can spur brain plaque

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:39 -0400

A class of widely used anesthetics spurs production of beta amyloid in the brains of mice, according to a study completed at the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers studied halothane, one in a class of volatile anesthetics used on 60 million people a year. A common side effect of these anesthetics is 'post-operative cognitive decline' that can last from days to years. If the drugs also promote beta amyloid in the brains of humans, it could provide a direct link to Alzheimer's. While there is no conclusive proof that beta amyloid causes Alzheimer's, the presence of brain plaque is a common feature of the disease. Researchers in the field have been pushing an array of drug development programs that target beta amyloid.

- here's the report on the study from Nature

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Blood pressure meds may help prevent Alzheimer's

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:01:39 -0500

New research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine suggests that commonly used therapies for high blood pressure may help prevent the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's. Working with animals engineered to produce beta-amyloid, a plaque in the brain that builds up as Alzheimer's develops, researchers injected a series of drugs to see what kind of effect could be achieved. Seven of the drugs that demonstrated an ability to prevent the build-up of beta-amyloid were for high blood pressure. One of the drugs--Diovan--was most effective. Diovan is used to prevent high blood pressure in the elderly, suggesting that they may also be getting an additional benefit from their treatment.

- read the report on Alzheimer's from Forbes

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Enzyme essential to preventing Alzheimer's

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Researchers have identified an enzyme that could play a key therapeutic role in preventing Alzheimer's. The scientists at Washington University School of Medicine developed mice that couldn't produce the enzyme MMP-9 and found that amyloid beta (Abeta) plaques built up in the space between neurons. That plaque has long been linked with Alzheimer's. Their work was built around the observation that brain support cells close to the plaque increased their production of MMP-9 and theorized that it was responsible for the body's ability to limit plaque growth. The team will now explore if increasing levels of the enzyme can prevent Alzheimer's, giving them a clear shot at developing a new therapeutic.

- here's the report on Alzheimer's research from UPI

ALSO: UCLA researchers have used 3-D imaging techniques to track the spread of Alzheimer's in the brain. Their work could provide a useful diagnostic tool for determining the effects of new therapeutics. Release

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Researchers hopeful of Alzheimer's cure. Report

Marijuana may help prevent Alzheimer's

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:01:39 -0400

The active ingredient in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, may help prevent the formation of deposits in the brain which are linked to Alzheimer's. Scientists at Scripps Research Institute concluded that THC does a better job than commercial drugs at preventing the enzyme acetylcholinesterase from forming plaques that occur with Alzheimer's. While controversial, marijuana has a number of medical uses, including relieving glaucoma and pain along with the side effects of therapies for cancer and AIDS. The researchers at Scripps say that their new work in the field may help point the way to new therapies. There have been a number of studies, including one this week, that indicate that existing therapies for Alzheimer's are all but useless.

- here's the report on the study from the San Diego Union-Tribune

TX researchers find new mechanism in Alzheimer's

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Focusing on the role of an enzyme known as presenilin, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas say they have identified a second function that may play a big role in the development of Alzheimer's. Presenilins are already well known for cleaving amyloid precursor proteins to create amyloid ß-peptides that form plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's victims. Mutant presenilins present in 40 percent of familial cases of Alzheimer's also lose the ability to balance calcium inside cells, researchers say. Calcium is a signaling molecule that plays an important role in memory. Their work may help spur new research into therapies that control the effect of presenilins. Specifically, drugs that restore normal calcium levels could possibly be used to combat Alzheimer's.

"Clearly it makes sense that presenilin's role in cleaving APP would affect Alzheimer's disease," said Ilya Bezprozvanny of UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "But our findings suggest a totally different angle, raising the possibility that presenilin's effect on the disease may be two-fold."

- read the report from The Hindu