New treatment slows Alzheimer’s progression in monkeys

Alzheimer’s disease – elderly health concepts word cloud illustration. Word collage concept.

“NYU Grossman School of Medicine published findings Tuesday in the journal Brain.”

“NYU Grossman School of Medicine published findings Tuesday in the journal Brain, stemming from an investigation with elderly squirrel monkeys with significant signs of neurodegeneration.

Results indicated up to 59% fewer amyloid beta plaque deposits in the animals’ brains following treatment with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN), versus untreated animals. Treated animals also saw a decline in toxic tau levels, a nerve fiber protein that can inflict damage to nearby tissue when disease alters its chemical structure.https://a840d7d7f3b631f1dbf0770bae146604.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Our findings illustrate that this therapy is an effective way of manipulating the immune system to slow neurodegeneration,” Akash Patel, MS, an assistant research scientist in the Center for Cognitive Neurology at NYU Langone Health, said in a news release posted to EurekAlert.org.

WHO SHOULD TAKE BIOGEN’S ALZHEIMER’S DRUG? EXPERT WEIGHS IN 

Of 15 female elderly monkeys under study, aged 17 to 19 years old, eight were given a single dose of treatment monthly for two years, while the rest received saline solution. Researchers looked at the animals’ behavior, brain tissue and drew blood samples to assess levels of the toxic protein buildup and inflammation. The treated group outperformed their untreated counterparts when given puzzles, picking up puzzle-solving skills faster and performed the task on par with younger animals.”

By Kayla Rivas| Fox News

Comment; Brings to mind the film “The deep blue sea” pl

https://www.foxnews.com/health/new-treatment-slows-alzheimers-progression-monkeys-researchers-claim

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3 Responses to New treatment slows Alzheimer’s progression in monkeys

  1. akaPatience says:

    It will be wonderful if a truly effective treatment is ever developed for this devastating disease. Could Aduhelm finally be the one? Interestingly, there’s some degree of controversy about the relatively speedy FDA approval of this particular new drug because, while trials showed it reduced clumps of amyloid plaque in the brain (long-associated with Alzheimer’s), trials didn’t show that cognitive functioning was significantly improved. And so far, other amyloid-reducing drugs haven’t worked out.

    Like the article linked above reports, brain bleed and swelling are concerns, as is the high price of the new drug ($56,000 per year plus additional diagnostic costs). Still, it presents at least a glimmer of hope for patients and their families who may suffer from the disease. If a patient is willing and able to take the chance, why not? Valuable discoveries may ensue, at the very least. On the other hand, I suppose if it proves to be ineffective for cognitive decline, the diversion of its costs from other healthcare expenditures, IF that even occurs (Medicare and private insurers often wait to cover brand new therapeutics), could become a point of contention. Anyway, here’s another interesting article about the drug:

    https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/fda-approves-alzheimers-drug-despite-fierce-debate-over-whether-it-works/

  2. JohninMK says:

    This is the Biogen drug that apparently none of the 11 FDA technical advisers recommended be passed and 3 subsequently resigned when it was.

    The potential for the amount of profit that this drug represents sure seems to open doors.

    https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/06/corruption-is-profitable-but-does-it-have-to-be-this-profitable

  3. Deap says:

    Word of caution: Chasing down unproven surrogate end points (brain plaques in this case) has never been show to produce much if any control of the underlying disease. Too much “medicine” today treats unproven metrics – numbers on your chart, far more than the human health condition itself.

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