A new study carried out at Lancaster University in England
indicates that a drug used to treat diabetes significantly reverses memory loss
and brain degeneration in mice. This
research utilized mice who had been bred to express genes indicated in Alzheimer’s
disease in humans effectively creating a rodent version of the disease.
The diabetes
drug, called a triple receptor, combines three molecules known as growth
factors. The drug was used to treat mice
who had been allowed to age which gave the disease time to develop fully and
damage the animal’s brain. After administering the drug, the mice underwent a
maze test which measured memory.
Results showed that the drug was associated with improved
learning and memory skills in the mice. There were also physiological change
including a reduced amounts of plaque buildup in the brain, which is a primary
characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The mice who were given the drug also were
found to have reduced levels of chronic inflammation in their brains, slower
rates of brain nerve cell loss, and increased brain nerve cell protection. Additionally,
the diabetes drug appeared to prevent and even reversed the brain growth
impairment that leads to nerve cells losing function ultimately results in some
of the classic symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
The growth factors in this drug specifically affected growth in the
animals' brains. This is important as
the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are shown to display growth impairment. This impairment has been associated with the cognitive decline that occurs in those with the condition.
It is hoped that the same results will be found when human
testing occurs leading to an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and
other memory-related illnesses. According
to the lead study researcher Christian Holscher of Lancaster University, the
results of this study suggest that the drug in question, "has a clear
promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders
such as Alzheimer's disease." These findings and the associated indications
for the development of future treatment options is particularly exciting, as it
has been 15 years since a new Alzheimer’s drug has become available.
Reference
Tai, J., Liu, W., Li, Y., Li, L., & Hölscher, C. (2018).
Neuroprotective effects of a triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonist in the
APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain research, 1678,
64-74.
