There are some news that seem to give a bit of hope to this world that is becoming a hostile place, and this is one of them. A group of scientists has managed to reverse Alzheimer’s in mice, and not only by stopping its symptoms, by reversing them. It is not just another experiment like the ones we have been seeing for several years, but an advance that could finally eradicate one of the most complicated diseases that humans suffer from.
The work was developed by teams from Spain and China, it is based on a combination of nanotechnology and supramolecular drugs. And the most surprising thing is that this mixture restores functions that were already damaged, as if it turned back on systems that the disease had switched off, as if it were magic.
The results left everyone with their mouths open: in just one hour, the proteins related to Alzheimer’s were reduced by up to 60 percent. One hour. Not months, not years. And this had never, ever been seen before.
Of course, for now the tests have only been done in mice, and there is still a lot left before this reaches people. But even so, that breath of hope is there, knowing that it is a disease that slowly erases people…
Goodbye, Alzheimer’s, finally!
The team from the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and West China Hospital designed a different method, this does not attack neurons directly, but acts on the blood brain barrier.
The scientists discovered that when that filter deteriorates, the brain stops cleaning waste, and that is where beta amyloid begins piling up without control, forming plaques that shut down cognitive functions and lead to this disease.
How does this treatment work?
The researchers designed bioactive nanoparticles capable of activating the brain’s cleaning system. They administered them to mice that were genetically programmed to produce large amounts of beta amyloid. And the result was that they expelled toxic proteins into the bloodstream and their body was able to eliminate them.
“In one hour we saw a 50-60 percent reduction of beta amyloid.” Junyang Chen, one of the authors of the study.
In addition, the treatment improved cognitive functions in the mice, so we could talk about lasting effects…
Activate the system instead of replacing it
Giuseppe Battaglia, another of the researchers responsible for the study, says that the most interesting thing is not that the nanoparticles clean the brain, but that they reactivate the natural cleaning mechanism, and keep it working after the treatment, like they would be repairing the system that should be working by itself. And at the moment, there is no medication that does that.
More research
While this was happening, a team from Brazil developed molecules capable of regulating excess copper, a factor that also contributes to plaque formation.
One molecule in particular, called L10, stood out for low toxicity, DNA protection and effectiveness against oxidative stress.
That is, it works, it is not dangerous, and it is also cheap compared to current treatments. Maybe this could also be a much more accessible therapeutic path than those based on antibodies…
Are we close to a real cure?
We have to be cautious, research must continue and adjustments must be made, risks must be studied and everything that goes along with the study of a drug, but it is clear that we are one step closer to saying goodbye to this disease that is so complicated, both for the person who suffers it and for their relatives.
And if you have lived close to a patient with Alzheimer’s you will have noticed how the essence of the person is lost as time passes, and it hurts to see how you look at someone but that someone is no longer there, now, this new study could be a new path to investigate a possible cure for a disease that, until now, seemed like a lost battle…