A new approach to slowing the ravages of Alzheimer's disease has shown promise in early studies on mice and monkeys, and is "worth investigating" in humans, US scientists said on Wednesday.
The method involves injecting a synthetic compound in the brain that reduces the amount of a protein called tau which can accumulate, damage cells and lead to failures of memory. "We've shown that this molecule lowers levels of the tau protein, preventing and, in some cases, reversing the neurological damage," said senior author Timothy Miller, professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine. The molecule, known as an antisense oligonucleotide, works by targeting genetic instructions for tau before it is ever made, said the report in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
"This compound is the first that has been shown to reverse tau-related damage to the brain that also has the potential to be used as a therapeutic in people," added Miller.
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