Alzheimer's Treatment Breakthrough: Nasal Sprays Boost Brain Health, Study Suggests
By Madz Dizon
Jul 11, 2024 03:20 AM EDT
Jul 11, 2024 03:20 AM EDT
(Photo : Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
A recent study has revealed that the use of nasal sprays has the potential to greatly enhance the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
By efficiently delivering medication to the brain, these sprays have shown promising results in improving cognitive function.
This research is the most recent in a series of studies that have demonstrated encouraging findings, suggesting that nasal therapy could be a viable treatment option for degenerative brain conditions.
A recent study conducted at the Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas, involved the use of a unique spray that contained small lipophilic micelles.
These micelles, which are capable of carrying substances through water, were administered to aging mice through their nasal passages.
The findings have the potential to significantly impact the development of more effective treatments for Alzheimer's and related diseases. Recent studies showing consistent results may provide hope for the 6.9 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer's.
It was discovered that the intranasal solution had a positive impact on their cognitive function. A breakthrough was made by creating a specialized antibody (TTCM2) that can identify and attach to a protein only when it adopts a specific shape or form.
The accumulation of these aggregates within cells poses a challenge, as current treatments have shown limited success in their removal or in enhancing cognitive function.
In this instance, the antibodies targeted tau, a protein found within the neurons of the brain. In Alzheimer's disease, an abundance of toxic tau accumulates and intertwines with normal tau proteins, resulting in a decline in cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and memory.
Similar to other diseases, lewy body dementia and rare conditions like progressive supranuclear palsy exhibit tau-related characteristics that lead to the deterioration of the brain.
The ability of TTCM2 to halt the spread of tau is of utmost importance in the effort to slow down the progression of the disease.
It remains to be seen if this would have the same positive impact on humans, but research conducted in China and Spain suggests that there is sufficient evidence to support the idea that progress is being made in that direction.
There is a strong hope among experts for a swift development of a cure, as this disease has a profound impact not only on those directly affected, but also on the millions of caregivers involved.
Following the administration of the spray, the animals exhibited encouraging outcomes in the reduction of harmful build-up and enhancement of cognitive functions.
It arrives only a few days following the FDA's approval of a groundbreaking medication that aims to slow down the advancement of Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, neurologists said the procedure is costly, inconvenient, and potentially beneficial primarily for individuals in the initial phases, ABC13 reported.
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