Class of pharmaceuticals appear to prevent and treat Alzheimer's

A class of pharmaceuticals seem to prevent Alzheimer's disease

A class of pharmaceuticals has been shown to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease in mice, according to findings published by the Journal of Neuroscience.

Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) discovered that the drugs, known as TSPO ligands, reduced measures of pathology and improved behaviours in both young and old adult mice.

TSPO ligands are currently used for certain forms of neuroimaging, with the team's next move to uncover exactly how the drugs reduce Alzheimer's disease pathology.

The most interesting findings from the study involved aged mice, who were administered one treatment per week for a four-week period.

These mice experienced a significant reduction in Alzheimer's-related symptoms and improvements in memory, suggesting TSPO ligands can reverse some aspects of the disorder.

Lead researcher Christian Pike, of the USC David School of Gerontology, said: "There is a strong possibility that TSPO ligands similar to the ones used in our study could be evaluated for therapeutic efficacy in Alzheimer's patients within the next few years."