Health
"Cancer drug shows promise in mouse Alzheimer’s study" by David Brown
The Washington Post, February 9, 2012
900 words/ 2 pages
Neuroscientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio conducted a study on mice and found out that a known cancer drug can reverse Alzheimer's disease in mice. The drug, called bexarotene, is an already known and used drug in cancer patients, but has not had impressive results against cancer in humans. In the study, whose findings were released on Thursday, February 9, Gary E. Landreth and his team of neuroscientists gave mice in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease low doses of bexarotene. After the treatment, the mice were able to perform better in tests of memory and social behavior, showing that the drug helps restore proper mental function. The team concluded that bexarotene stimulated the removal of a substance called beta-amyloid, which is the chief cause of Alzheimer's disease. Whether bexarotene will have similar effects in humans with Alzheimer's as in mice is still not known. However, the team is optimistic that finding out shouldn't be too difficult, as the drug is already known and has been approved for human use, instead of an entirely new chemical compound. Bexarotene's effects on normal human brains will be tested in the coming months, and only after that will its effects on people with early Alzheimer's be tested for the first time. The team concluded that much hinges on whether the drug works in the same way in humans as in mice; in the words of head neuroscientist Gary E. Landreth, "It has to work in humans like it works in mice or we can pick up and go home." Much is at stake, for this obscure cancer drug might be the one that rids the world of Alzheimer's disease.
This article reveals a drug that has the potential to cure Alzheimer's disease. Right now, over 5 million people in the United States suffer from Alzheimer's, and over 70 million people in the world. This disease has drastic effects, causing increased dementia and affecting brain function, memory, judgment, and behavior, ultimately resulting in premature death. There is no cure or reliable treatment to this disease. Although it has only been tested on mice thus far, the known drug bexarotene has shown that it can reverse the effects of early Alzheimer's; if it can prove to have the same effects on humans, we are well on the path to finding a reliable cure for the most common form of dementia in the world.
The posting gives a clear and detailed summary to the study at the university. It is a surprising discovery that bexarotene, a cancer drug, has the ability to reverse Alzheimer's in mice. I agree that since Alzheimer's is such a common disease with very drastic effects, it will be a huge progress towards finding a cure if the drug works on human.
ReplyDeleteThe post gives a detailed summary of the "Bexarotene drug" findings, which are very interesting. It will be extremely significant and of great advance if indeed this drug could cure the Alzheimer's disease. Undoubtedly, individuals with the disease as well as relatives, suffer from this incurable and devastating illness which technically stops their social and behavioral lives. Although this is not a very aggressive health problem, it will amazing for people all over the world if there were a cure.
ReplyDelete