Blog Layout

New Drug Gives Hope for Alzheimer’s Prevention

editor • Feb 18, 2020

Researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University recently announced that pharmacological “chaperone therapy” can prevent Alzheimer’s disease ( AD ) in mice. Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that currently has no cure. Abnormal clumps (amyloid-beta plaques) and tangled fiber bundles (neurofibrillary or tau tangles) create brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Loss of connections between neurons that transmit messages to different parts of the brain, and brain to organs and muscles in the body, are compromised.

A simple example to help imagine the disease is to think of a wadded up ball of pieces of tape stuck together. Excessive amounts of proteins in the brain begin to lose shape and, like a tape ball, stick, and clump together. This clumping stops the transport of the excess proteins to “recycling sites” within the cells. Trapped in the wrong cellular compartment, they accumulate and eventually bog down cellular mechanisms creating significant disruptions.

To keep the brain’s molecular machinery capable of doing its job sorting through proteins, identifying defective ones, and removing or stabilizing them, scientists developed small drug molecules known as pharmacological chaperones. These chaperones may fulfill a critical role in the prevention of and therapy for Alzheimer’s. The Temple University study cites the journal, Molecular Neurodegeneration , showing that a chaperone drug can productively disrupt the abnormal brain processes that damage neurons and fuel memory loss that ultimately gives rise to Alzheimer’s in animals prone to developing it.

This particular chaperone drug can restore appropriate levels of the sorting molecule called VPS35, permitting the continued moving of proteins out of endosomes , which can be thought of like the sorting stations or recycling sites for damaged proteins allowing for normal cell functioning. Dr. Praticò and colleagues at Temple University who previously had identified how VPS35 actively clears the brain of the harmful proteins amyloid beta and tau most recently have determined that in Alzheimer’s disease, VPS35 levels were significantly reduced. Non-efficient processing of these damaging proteins led to the clumps, or deposits, that interrupt neuron activity, thus contributing to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Testing the effects of this pharmacological chaperone on young mice that are engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease as they age allowed the scientists to check for effects on memory and learning as the mice grew older.  The treated animals had far better memory and behaved like normal aging mice when compared to untreated mice that readily progressed into Alzheimer’s symptoms, creating a practical technique of Alzheimer’s disease modification for the first time. The test results were confirmed when researchers examined the neurons from the treated mice that had significantly decreased tau tangles and amyloid-beta plaques. Further analysis showed VPS35 levels to be restored, and neuron synapses were fully functional thanks to the chaperone therapy.

“Relative to other therapies under development for Alzheimer’s disease, pharmacological chaperones are inexpensive, and some of these drugs have already been approved for the treatment of other diseases,” Dr. Praticò said. “Additionally, these drugs do not block an enzyme or a receptor but target a cellular mechanism, which means that there is a much lower potential for side effects. All these factors add to the appeal of pursuing pharmacological chaperone drugs as novel Alzheimer’s treatments.”

Before moving to clinical trials in humans, Dr. Praticò and his colleagues will first investigate the effects of this pharmacological chaperone therapy in older mice as their first study was a preventative investigation. Testing older mice exhibiting Alzheimer’s symptoms can identify if the treatment can work for patients already diagnosed with AD.

These studies conducted at Temple University and partially funded by the National Institutes of Health grants bring hope to the millions of people who already have Alzheimer’s disease and to the tens of millions who are projected to get the disease. Finding relatively inexpensive prevention and treatment techniques of the illness can bring about amazing changes not only to patients and their families but can lessen the increasing cost burden for caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s.

If you have questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please don’t hesitate to contact any of our six office locations by calling us at (866) 456-9668.

By David Faloni 09 Dec, 2021
Reduced brain function may be indicative of dementia and can result in poor financial decisions. If you are age 50 or older, easy access to your financial assets like stocks and bonds, checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, and other assets can lead to loss of these funds if an unauthorized person gains access… The post Dementia Can Put Financial Wellbeing at Risk appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 02 Dec, 2021
Symptoms such as memory issues should never be dismissed.  There are many resources available through a simple internet search, and professional associations that provide education and guidance through a maze of questions you may have regarding how to approach someone you suspect may be experiencing memory loss, or how to ask for help if that… The post How Diet and Exercise Affect Alzheimer’s Disease appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 26 Nov, 2021
Assisted living is changing for seniors with new advancements in medicine, technology, and socioeconomics. The rising cost of assisted living means that some families are looking for new alternatives, while those who consider traditional assisted living have new options to consider. Alternatives to assisted living include multigenerational housing and in-home care. As these options become… The post Assisted Living Communities of the Future appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 18 Nov, 2021
I have to decide between my two children, who should be my power of attorney when I need help communicating with doctors and handling my financial matters. Can’t I just name them both? You can, but please don’t. You risk creating conflict or chaos if you name more than one child to serve simultaneously. Instead,… The post Considerations for Choosing Co-Agents appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 11 Nov, 2021
When caring for an aging family member, a family caregiving meeting can be a great way to coordinate communications and activities. These meetings are beneficial for helping to keep all family members abreast of decisions that need to be made, changes in diagnosis or prognosis, and help to ensure that all family members feel that… The post The Benefits of Having a Family Caregiving Meeting appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 04 Nov, 2021
You would hope your living will is properly prepared and your resuscitation instructions or DNR (do not resuscitate) are in order. While your wishes in a living will may be appropriately documented, that does not guarantee the instructions will be carried out as you stated. The frightening truth is that mistakes about your end-of-life instructions… The post The Importance of Clear End-of-Life Care Instructions appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By David Faloni 28 Oct, 2021
When you embark on a second marriage, you should be aware of how this will affect you and your new spouses’ Medicaid benefits. Current costs for long-term care facilities can run between $70,000 – $150,000 annually. Studies show that 70% of Americans will need that kind of care, perhaps for three years or longer. If… The post The Effects of a Second Marriage on Medicaid appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By editor 21 Oct, 2021
A healthy lifestyle can increase your longevity significantly. Your lifespan can be increased by as much as 14 years for a woman and 12.2 years for a man according to the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation study. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but according to the World Health… The post Apply These Five Lifestyle Habits to Lengthen Your Life Span appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By editor 14 Oct, 2021
In estate planning, it is common that parents divide the inheritance equally among the children. But sometimes, parents intentionally choose to not leave anything to a child, and the reasons for doing so may vary. One reason could be that a child who is more financially successful than the others and the parent doesn’t feel… The post The Potential Outcomes of Disinheriting a Child appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
By editor 07 Oct, 2021
Imagine this scenario, an unwed middle-aged lady, Sandy, being the sole caretaker for her 85-year-old mother. Sandy still worked full time and would help her mom in the evenings and weekends. Unfortunately, Sandy was in a serious car accident and would be out of work for at least 8 weeks. She now faced the challenge… The post Short-Term Disability Insurance and Its Many Benefits appeared first on Faloni Law Group.
More Posts
Share by: