Alzheimer's Reversed in Animal Models

[Tuckerfan]

No word on when human testing might begin.

The study by a University of California, San Diego-led team – published in the February 8, 2009 issue of Nature Medicine – shows that BDNF treatment can potentially provide long-lasting protection by slowing, or even stopping the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in animal models.

“The effects of BDNF were potent,” said Mark Tuszynski, MD, PhD, professor of neurosciences at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and neurologist at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health System. “When we administered BDNF to memory circuits in the brain, we directly stimulated their activity and prevented cell death from the underlying disease.”

Hopefully, this will result in a treatment soon.

[Shayna]

That would be so awesome!

Notably, the brains of the treated animals also exhibited restored BDNF gene expression, enhanced cell size, improved cell signaling, and activation of function in neurons that would otherwise have degenerated, compared to untreated animals. These benefits extended to the degenerating hippocampus where short-term memory is processed, one of the first regions of the brain to suffer damage in Alzheimer’s disease.

The demonstration of the effectiveness and safety of BDNF administration in animals provides “a rationale for exploring clinical translation” to humans, the team concludes, suggesting that the protective and restorative effects of BDNF on damaged neurons and neuronal signaling may offer a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Outstanding work!

[ratatoskK]

I heard this on the radio the other day, what great work!

[Miller]

These benefits extended to the degenerating hippocampus…

I misread that at first, and thought, “Damn, those are some big lab animals!”

[Fish]

@Miller

I misread that at first, and thought, “Damn, those are some big lab animals!”

Hippocampus is Latin for “horse college.”

[Giltathriel]

I wonder what BDNF does to a healthy brain. Mental performance enhancement?

[Ludovic]

@Fish

Hippocampus is Latin for “horse college.”

You just call it that because it was founded by a horse!

[Tuckerfan]

@Giltathriel

I wonder what BDNF does to a healthy brain. Mental performance enhancement?

A number of things, it seems.

[Tuckerfan]

More interesting news.

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a novel way to stimulate the innate immune system of mice with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) - leading to reduced amyloid deposits and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease related pathology - without causing toxic side effects.