Scientists reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's

[FarCenter]

Spanish scientists have for the first time used gene therapy to reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's, an advance that could lead to new drugs to treat the disease, they said Wednesday.

The Autonomous University of Barcelona team injected a gene which causes the production of a protein that is blocked in patients with Alzheimer's into the hippocampus -- a region of the brian essential to memory processing -- in mice that were in the initial stages of the disease.

"The protein that was reinstated by the gene therapy triggers the signals needed to activate the genes involved in long-term memory consolidation," the university said in a statement.

Gene therapy involves transplanting genes into a patient's cells to correct an otherwise incurable disease caused by a failure of one or another gene.

The finding was published in The Journal of Neuroscience and it follows four years of research.

http://www.france24.com/en/20140423-scientists-reverse-memory-loss-mice-with-alzheimers/

[Control-Z]

1. Fantastic development!! (nt)

[sheshe2]

2. Thank you for posting this FarCenter.

My dad suffers from Alzheimer's. To late for him but good news for the future.

[rug]

3. What do mice have to remember?

Squirrels, I can see.

[TeeYiYi]

5. Where the traps are. ..nt

TYY

[JHB]

8. Ask Algernon, he'll know.

[IDemo]

4. the hippocampus -- a region of the brian

Yes, and a region of the Dave, Shirley, Tracy, Jeff, etc.

[siligut]

10. A region lost in translation

Luckily the writer doesn't do brain surgery.

[Liberty Belle]

6. Thank God.

My Dad died of Alzheimer's and so did my Grandmother. My other Grandmother also had dementia. I'm in my 50s and scared to death every time I have a memory lapse that perhaps it's early stage Alzheimer's, so hope this will mean a cure in time for me and certainly for my children, if they are unfortunate enough to inherit this terrible disease.

[bullwinkle428]

11. My Dad and Grandfather also suffered with it for years

prior to their deaths, so I deal with those very same anxieties myself. This latest research breakthrough sounds fantastic, so I'm feeling (at least cautiously) very optimistic.

K&R.

[liberalla]

7. Exciting and hopeful news.

My Mom died from Alzheimers. I hope to avoid that fate.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was curable?

[raccoon]

9. Great news! My mother and one of her brothers had Alzheimer's.

I too hope to avoid that fate.

[Ilsa]

12. My MIL has early signs of Alz, and is getting treatment.

Hopefully a complete reversal will be available eventually. Her mother died from the disease.