Michigan Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have trialled experimental medications on mice and found that they successfully inhibit a gene though to be a contributing factor to dementias such as Alzheimer’s.
The drugs were found to regulate the ability of the brain to change in response to new experiences, allowing memory formation, and it is thought they could contribute to a cure for Alzheimer’s.
A gene called histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) was found to be partly responsible for the effects of Alzheimer’s in tests by MIT’s Institute for Learning and Memory on mice in 2007, and the new drugs directly target the gene.
Susanne Sorensen, head of research for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Alzheimer’s … is a physical disease of the brain that leads to the death of nerve cells. We need more research before we can know how helpful these results will be in developing treatments for this devastating disease.”
Recent research by the Massachusetts General Hospital showed that vitamin E, along anti-inflammatory drugs, could slow the development of Alzheimer’s disease.