Drug discovery could be 'life-changing' for Alzheimer's patients

Healthcare News
05/09/2008
Scientists say a drug used to treat stroke patients could be used to treat those with Alzheimer's.

Research on a drug used to rescue and repair brain tissue following a stroke could benefit Alzheimer's patients, researchers say.

Scientists at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) have discovered that Bryostatin can repair the brain and improve memory when administered up to 24 hours after a stroke.

This makes it a candidate for benefiting Alzheimer's patients, they explain, as it has the potential to prevent and/or reverse brain degeneration.

According to the scientists, Bryostatin completely rescues dying neurons, stimulates the growth of new connections and restores memory capacity.

The findings represent a 'marked advancement', they add, and could be 'life-changing' for Alzheimer's patients.

In previous BRNI studies, Bryostatin was found to markedly increase survival of mice with human Alzheimer's genes, decrease the production of the toxic Alzheimer's protein and increase the production of healthy proteins.

As well as this, the drug can accelerate the production of synapses when paired with learning exercises.

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