The recent discovery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania marks a significant advancement in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers there have identified a compound called 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) that has shown promising results in reversing Alzheimer’s signs in a mouse model. This compound functions as a “chemical chaperone,” playing a crucial role in inhibiting the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain. It works by restoring normal proteostasis, which is the balanced regulation of protein synthesis, folding, trafficking, and degradation. This restoration is critical in maintaining brain health and functionality.
In the conducted studies, mice with Alzheimer’s-like conditions were treated with PBA. The treatment led to remarkable improvements in their memory performance, as assessed by standard memory tests. Notably, these improvements were observed even when the treatment was administered later in the disease’s progression. The researchers found that both early-life and middle-age treatment with PBA showed signs of inhibiting the formation of amyloid beta plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. In cases of later treatment, there was a reduction in the number of these plaques themselves.
One of the notable aspects of PBA is its existing FDA approval for treating an unrelated metabolic disorder, which implies a potential ease in repurposing it for Alzheimer’s treatment. The fact that it can easily cross from the bloodstream into the brain enhances its viability as a treatment option.
The results of this study provide a ray of hope in the long-standing battle against Alzheimer’s, a disease that has remained largely inscrutable and incurable. The possibility of using a compound like PBA to effectively reverse some of the disease’s key symptoms, especially memory impairment, opens new avenues in Alzheimer’s research and treatment. However, it is important to note that while these findings are encouraging, further research and clinical trials in humans are necessary to fully ascertain the efficacy and safety of PBA as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Source: New Treatment Reverses Alzheimer’s Disease Signs
Photo by Chokniti Khongchum
