Australian researchers have made a discovery they say could improve the effectiveness of drugs used to mitigate the effects of Alzheimer's disease.
In a study published on Wednesday, a
team led by national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation (CSIRO) compared levels of amyloid plaques, forebrain
shrinking and cognitive decline in 475 Alzheimer's patients with varying levels
of cognitive impairment, Xinhua news agency reported.
The research discovered that
atrophying, or shrinking, of the basal forebrain, a key region of the brain for
memory and learning, could indicate the presence of Alzheimer's disease before
symptoms occur.
Ying Xia, lead author of the study
from the CSIRO's Australian e-Health Research Centre, said that early diagnosis
is critical to manage the symptoms of Alzheimer's and that the findings could
assist in the ongoing development of drugs to reduce the decline in brain
function of patients.
"Currently, drugs available to
manage cognitive decline in Alzheimer's are only effective in up to 30 per cent
of cases," she said in a media release.
"We think we can improve on
that figure, by increasing our understanding of the role played by the system
targeted by the current drug treatment regimes."
Alzheimer's disease is a
neurodegenerative disease that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to
eventually die, affecting memory, thinking and behavior. It is the most common
form of dementia, accounting for up to 70 per cent of cases globally according
to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Xia said the new discovery could
assist the development of drugs currently undergoing regulatory approval that
clear amyloid plaques, abnormal clusters of protein fragments that are
characteristic features of Alzheimer's, from the brain.
The plaques build up between nerve
cells in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, disrupting communication and
causing inflammation and cell damage.
Xia said the new drugs to clear
plaques were promising but that it is not yet known whether targeting them
addresses the underlying cause of memory and attention decline.
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