New Delhi: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a chronic condition characterised by loss of cognitive health, memory and ability to perform daily life activities. Experts have for long been unsure of the root cause of the same and continue to stress that the best way to go about it is by making efforts towards managing it and detecting well in time to prevent long-term deterioration. However, researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) recently developed a nasal spray which can clear build-up of tau proteins inside the brain, which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
How does the nasal spray work to reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk?
Researchers said that this discovery could pave way for better treatment options in a long run. The nasal spray contains antibodies that can target and clear away the tangles in a patient’s brain, thereby fighting Alzheimer’s risk. Experts noted that the new approach can open avenues for treatment of neurogenerative diseases in a long run. In the brain, tau proteins support the transport of nutrients in the brain. However, when the proteins misfold, they clump to form tangles that disrupt functioning of neurons thereby resulting in cognitive decline.
Researchers found that even one dose of TTCM2 given intranasally to aged mice can spread to various parts of the brain and prevent clumps of tau proteins from forming. These were also subjected to behavioural testing in mice and it suggested that treatment can treat short-term memory loss in mice. It was also noted that the spray contributed to an increase in biomarkers in hippocampus, a part of the brain linked to cognitive function and memory. This method, however, not only improve delivery therapeutic antibodies but also enhances efficacy of clearing tau proteins.
Experts further stated that there is potential to eventually be listed as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative health problems to treat the condition. The advancement could pave way for evolved strategies of managing the condition which has been so far untreatable. The study was published in the Science Translational Medicine journal.
Researchers said that this discovery could pave way for better treatment options in a long run. The nasal spray contains antibodies that can target and clear away the tangles in a patient’s brain, thereby fighting Alzheimer’s risk. Experts noted that the new approach can open avenues for treatment of neurogenerative diseases in a long run. Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
