A study published on Monday (24/04) brings new hope for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Performed by scientists from University College London, the research obtained good results when testing an experimental drug capable of silencing genes responsible for synthesizing the tau protein.
Although the causes of Alzheimer’s have not yet been fully explained, it is known that tau is one of the proteins linked to the disease. Over the years, tau accumulates in the brain, forming “tangles” that disrupt cognitive functions such as memory and concentration.
British research brought a new approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative disease, as it focused on inactivating genes related to tau production. Prior to this study, cutting-edge treatments focused on doing a kind of “cleansing” by removing excess proteins in the brain.
“The results are a major advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s. We are closer to having a drug that can slow down and even reverse the progression of the disease,” said physician Catherine Mummery, in an interview on the website of University College London, the institution responsible for the study.
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease caused by the death of brain cells that can appear decades before the first symptoms appear.PM Images/ Getty Images
***Photo-doctor-looking-tomography.jpgBecause it is a disease that tends to get worse over the years, early diagnosis is essential to delay the progression. Therefore, when presenting any symptoms of the disease, it is essential to consult a specialist. Andrew Brookes/Getty Images
***Photo-woman-with-hand-on-head.jpgAlthough the symptoms are more common in people over 70 years of age, it is not uncommon for them to manifest in young people around 30. In fact, when this “premature” manifestation occurs, the condition is called early Alzheimer’s.Westend61/ Getty Images
***Photo-elderly-with-hands-on-head.jpgIn the initial phase, a person with Alzheimer’s tends to have changes in memory and starts to forget simple things, such as: where he kept his keys, what he had for breakfast, someone’s name or even the season of the year.urbazon/ Getty Images
***Photo-person-walking-in-a-maze.jpgDisorientation, difficulty remembering the address where you live or the way home, difficulties in making simple decisions, such as planning what you are going to do or eat, for example, are also signs of the disease.OsakaWayne Studios/ Getty Images
***Photo-elderly-with-hands-on-head-2.jpgIn addition, loss of desire to perform routine tasks, change in behavior (making the person more nervous or aggressive), and repetitions are some of the most common symptoms.Kobus Louw/ Getty Images
***Photo-doctors-looking-tomography.jpgAccording to research carried out by the Alzheimer’s Drugs Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the presence of damaged proteins (Amyloid and Tau), vascular diseases, neuroinflammation, failure of neural and genetic energy (APOE) may be related to the onset of the disease.Rossella De Berti/ Getty Images
***Photo-hands-on-the-table-holding-medicine.jpgAlzheimer’s treatment is done with the use of medications to reduce the symptoms of the disease, in addition to being necessary to perform physical therapy and cognitive stimulation. The disease has no cure and care must be taken until the end of lifeTowfiqu Barbhuiya / EyeEm/ Getty Images
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Methodology
The results of phase 1 of the study were published in Nature Medicine. They were obtained from imaging studies of 46 patients who used either the experimental drug or a placebo. Patients who received the drug had an approximate reduction of half of the concentration of tau protein 24 weeks after receiving the medication.
The drug was given in three doses with injections directly into the volunteers’ nervous system at four-week intervals. Preliminary results show that the drug had no serious side effects noted other than mild headaches.
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