Through reducing the buildup of an enzyme that interrupts brain function, researchers were able to reverse signs of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute developed a way to reverse the development of BACE1, an amyloid plaque that builds up abnormally on the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, according to the study that was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
"To our knowledge, this is the first observation of such a dramatic reversal of amyloid deposition in any study of Alzheimer's disease mouse models," Riqiang Yan, an author of the study, said in a release.
Researchers bred special groups of mice that developed the cognitive atrophying plaque at 75 days old. Then they administered special drugs targeting BACE1, which gradually reduced until there were no signs of the plaque.
"Our data shows that BACE1 inhibitors have the potential to treat Alzheimer's disease patients without unwanted toxicity," Yan said.
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