Medicine Information

Alzheimers Toxin May Be Key To Slowing Disease


Australian scientists say they have identified a toxin which plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's, raising hope that a drug targeting the toxin could be developed to slow the degenerative brain disease.

The toxin, called quinolinic acid, kills nerve cells in the brain, leading to dysfunction and death, the scientists said.

"Quinolinic acid may not be the cause of Alzheimer's disease, but it plays a key role in its progression," Alzheimer's researcher Dr Karen Cullen from the University of Sydney said in a statement. "It's the smoking gun, if you like."

"While we won't be able to prevent people from getting Alzheimer's disease, we may eventually, with the use of drugs, be able to slow down the progression."

Alzheimer's is a brain-destroying disease that affects millions of people around the world. As the population gets steadily older, experts estimate numbers will balloon to as many as 16 million in the United States alone by 2015.

More than 200,000 people have Alzheimer's disease in Australia and the number is expected to rise to 730,000 by 2050.

Outward symptoms start with memory loss, which progresses to complete helplessness as brain cells are destroyed. In the brain, neurons die as messy plaques and tangles of protein form.

The Alzheimer's research team from Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, the University of Sydney and Japan's Hokkaido University found quinolinic acid neurotoxicity in the brains of dementia patients.

Quinolinic acid is part of a biochemical pathway called the kynurenine pathway which is also found in other brain disorders, including Huntington's disease and schizophrenia.

The scientists said there were several drugs in an advanced stage of development for other conditions which targeted this pathway and that these drugs, which still need to be tested, could be used to complement other treatments for Alzheimer's.

"Building on what we've found and others have found, it's likely that they would have significant effect," said Professor Bruce Brew, director of neurology at St Vincent's Hospital.

Mike Freije
http://www.health-shop.info
http://www.health-shop.biz


MORE RESOURCES:

Analysis: Deficit spending is tough medicine
The Associated Press - 8 hours ago
WASHINGTON — It's a painful dilemma. The expected growth of the federal government budget deficit to $1.2 trillion this year could swamp future generations ...


Washington Post

Scientologist Views On Medicine Questioned
CBS News, NY - 14 hours ago
"So I started having grand mal seizures," recalls Tory Christman, "and I wasn't even off the medicine. I was only off part of the medicine, and I started ...
Travolta's late son 'not victim of cult' Oneindia
Kawasaki’s disease, cleaning fluid, and cults Blogger News Network
Presley blasts critics for using Travolta tragedy to attack ... Thaindian.com
Popeater - p2pnet.net
all 614 news articles


Ten essential items for your medicine cabinet
Chicago Tribune, United States - 14 hours ago
For information about what to keep in a home first aid kit, go here. Coming tomorrow: 10 things to keep out of your medicine cabinet.


Cost containment focus could have consequences for health care ...
EurekAlert (press release), DC - 8 hours ago
"We believe that in the current environment, the balance has tipped toward market exchanges at the expense of medicine's communal or social dimensions. ...
Money and the Changing Culture of Medicine New England Journal of Medicine (subscription)
all 5 news articles


FOXNews

Obama Wants CNN's Medicine Man to Be the US's Surgeon General!
PerezHilton.com, CA - 15 hours ago
CNN's medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, was supposedly offered the US surgeon general position by President-elect Barack Obama. ...
Video: CNN Correspondent Approached for Surgeon General AssociatedPress
Hotline After Dark -- Your Love Is Like Good Medicine National Journal
CNN's Medicine Man Tapped for Surgeon General? E! Online
Washington Post - Wall Street Journal Blogs
all 1,355 news articles


Khaleej Times

Early Elective C-Sections Produce Complications
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 8 hours ago
8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Once a woman has had a Caesarean delivery, she and her doctor may decide to perform an "elective" C-section ...
Study: Setting early C-sections puts babies at risk Houston Chronicle
Early C-section for full-term babies poses risk Reuters
Early C-Sections Can Double Health Risks for Newborns Wall Street Journal Blogs
Newswise (press release) - al.com
all 209 news articles


A taste of Obama's own medicine
NephrOnline, AZ - 13 hours ago
By Thomas Keating Even before "The Transition" turns into the new regime, president-elect Barack Obama has already been fighting back against those who ...
Stay Healthy: Government Healthcare May Be Coming The New American
Replace for-profit insurance with Medicare for all Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Obama's health care pledge may hurt Canada National Post
Capitalism Magazine - San Mateo County Times
all 138 news articles


Times Online

Jett Had History of Seizures, Medicine Ineffective
FOXNews - Jan 5, 2009
Jett Travolta, seen in this undated photo, died Friday in the Bahamas at the age of 16. Jett Travolta, seen in this undated photo, died Friday in the ...
Video: Travolta's Son Likely to Be Buried in Fla. AssociatedPress
Time to Audit Scientology's Anti-Medicine Stance Gawker
Jett Travolta’s Death, Medically Unclear eFluxMedia
The Associated Press - Oneindia
all 6,549 news articles


Research database from the US Library of Medicine
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH - 12 hours ago
Search PubMed, Clinicaltrials.gov, the CDC and a dozen other medical sites - all at once. AP MEDICAL VIDEO by Brie Zeltner/Plain Dealer Reporter Ohio had ...


Commentary: Equine Medicine Has Come a Long Way
TheHorse.com, KY - 8 hours ago
... be paid for in this challenging economy, keeping a horse healthy is light-years beyond where equine medicine and surgery were a quarter-century ago. ...

Medicine - Google News

home | site map
© 2006