University of Virginia Alzheimers Team Finds Protein to be Possible Cause of Disease

Thursday, May 03, 2012 8:32:00 AM

A solution to the heinous disease, Alzheimer’s, might finally be within reach, as a University of Virginia Alzheimer’s team found that a special protein triggers a catastrophic reaction in the brain.

In their published study University of Virginia lead scientist Professor George Bloom found that the toxic protein, which has been known to play a key role in Alzheimer's, sticks together in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, and these deposits result in the destruction of key nerve cells. “We've confirmed that it converts more abundant beta-amyloids [proteins] into a form that is up to 100 times more toxic,” said Bloom, “making this a very dangerous killer of brain cells and an attractive target for drug therapy.”

Alzheimer’s disease has long been one of the most painful afflictions that older family members can succumb to, as it is the leading cause of dementia and is currently incurable. In a 2007 study, by Brookmeyer, it was predicted that 1 in 85 of all people globally would become afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Probiodrug, based in Halle, has completed phase I safety trials of a drug that suppresses an enzyme involved in the formation of pyroglu beta-amyloid.

Understanding the toxic proteins and learning to suppress them might unlock a treatment that can affectively suppress or eliminate Alzheimer’s. Because of the broad range of senior help, care management, and in-home care that LivHOME provides many elderly people that suffer from severe to mild cases of Alzheimer’s can continue to live in their homes with professional assistance and caregiving.

In many of these instances, non-medical care is the best way to achieve happy living for the family remaining at home. Hopefully, with the help of researchers and scientists working all over the world, Alzheimer’s can be treated and made curable.

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