First drug that targets 'traffic controller' cells in the brain could be a breakthrough in slowing progression of dementia, scientists say READ MORE: Lifestyle changes REVERSED Alzheimer's, according to doctor By Alexa Lardieri U.S. Deputy Health Editor Dailymail.
Com Published: 18:52, 23 May 2024 | Updated: 18:54, 23 May 2024 e-mail 1 View comments Advertisement A team of scientists have developed a potentially breakthrough dementia drug that could prolong the life of brain cells — and could mark a new frontier of treatment for the disease. Scientists from Ontario, Stanford University and the University of California found a twice-daily pill could reduce levels of a harmful brain protein called amyloid — one of the main hallmarks of the disease — by nearly 10 percent. The experts say the benefits in patients' brains were observed after just six months on the medicine, as opposed to years like other experimental treatments .
Additionally, side effects were few and mild, with the most common being diarrhea and headaches. Other novel dementia therapies in development, like donanemab, have raised concerns among experts due to known risks of brain bleeds, which have killed several trial patients. The new drug, called LM11A-31, targets a specific receptor called P75NTR in the brain that helps regulate brain cell survival and development.
When cells, or neurons, die, messages can't be passed throughout the brain as effectively, which scientists believe is what causes the think.
