A copper-based compound restored the brain’s ability to clear toxic Alzheimer’s proteins, dramatically reducing amyloid buildup and improving memory in laboratory experiments. The findings point to a potentially fast-tracked new treatment strategy because the drug has already been tested in humans for other neurological conditions.

“This is the first study to show that [the compound] Cu(ATSM) can increase the abundance of P-gp clearance pumps in an Alzheimer’s model, by 24.1 percent, effectively linking the repair of the blood-brain barrier to a reduction in toxic proteins and improved cognitive function,” Dr. Pyun said.

“By improving the pumps, the brain can finally clear out the trapped waste. Over 56 days, the treatment reduced toxic amyloid-beta by 42 percent and improved spatial learning by nearly 44 percent.”

“Cu(ATSM) is a copper compound with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties that has already progressed to clinical testing for conditions like Parkinson’s and ALS,” Professor Nicolazzo said.

  • ParadoxSeahorseEnglish
    9·
    10 days ago

    Thanks. From the article:

    One of its biggest mysteries is also its most distinctive feature: the plaques and other protein deposits that German pathologist Alois Alzheimer linked to the disease in 1906. In 1984, Aβ was identified as the main component of the plaques. And in 1991, researchers traced family-linked Alzheimer’s to mutations in the gene for a precursor protein from which amyloid derives.

    I haven’t checked all the sources, but the Aβ model predates the fraudulent papers, which were focused on the Aβ*56 “toxic oligomer” species. However, the model wasn’t looking too hot before hand, and it really resuscitated it. Now yeah, it may have been a zombie