Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and affects millions of people worldwide.
As a result, researchers are constantly searching for new ways to slow the progression of the disease.
A research team from Monash University in Australia has now examined a potential new treatment that targets the brain's own waste-clearing mechanisms, SciTechDaily reports.
The brain's waste disposal system
The researchers focused on the blood-brain barrier, which acts as a filter between the brain and the bloodstream.
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This barrier contains specialized transport proteins that help remove waste products from the brain.
In Alzheimer's disease, these proteins become less effective.
This can lead to the accumulation of beta-amyloid, a protein associated with the disease.
Promising results
The study, published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, examined a copper-based compound called Cu(ATSM).
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In laboratory experiments, the researchers found that the treatment increased the levels of transport proteins that help remove waste products from the brain.
At the same time, lower levels of beta-amyloid were observed, and the test animals performed better in memory and spatial orientation tests.
According to the researchers, Cu(ATSM) appears to restore an important part of the brain's waste disposal system, allowing harmful proteins to be removed more efficiently.
Since the compound has already undergone safety testing in connection with diseases such as Parkinson's disease and ALS, the researchers believe that the next step could be human trials.
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