A Jekyll and Hyde Dementia-Triggering Molecule
Not all brain cells are the same. Those that are vulnerable to neurodegeneration come from a specific area of the brain called the isodendritic core (IC). These vulnerable neurons are evident even at four weeks gestation. In 2015 scientists from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) wrote that "neurons of the IC system show neurofibrillary tangles in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's." They suggested that "the IC network represents a unique candidate for viable therapeutic intervention and should become a high priority for research in Alzheimer’s." This brain chemical T14 triggers the growth and development of embryonic IC cells, but they retain their ability to instigate growth even in adulthood. It was only identified 20 years ago. Baroness Susan Greenfield, neuroscientist and CEO of Neuro-Bio, a spin-off from Oxford University that developed the drug NBP14, describes T14 as a “Jekyll and Hyde molecule.” That's because it has beneficial effects on the growth and development of the fetal brain but becomes toxic if this process happens inappropriately in later life. T14 could be triggered by a blow to the head, a restriction to the brain's blood supply, an inadequate level of antioxidants to mop up free radicals, or some other mechanism. If it isn't stopped it will continue uninterrupted and spread to other areas of the brain to cause the familiar symptoms of Alzheimer's up to two decades later. But T14 can be stopped dead in its tracks thanks to NBP14. The latest study lends support to scientists who believe T14 could be at the very heart of the degenerative process.Normal Cognition Restored
Mice engineered to develop Alzheimer's were treated with a nasal spray containing NBP14 for six weeks. This resulted in a marked decrease in amyloid plaques. After 14 weeks their cognitive performance improved to the same level as normal mice. Baroness Greenfield believes their approach is a genuine breakthrough for three reasons:- It identifies a neurodegenerative process that occurs before amyloid gets involved.
- It accounts for why some neurons are selectively vulnerable to neurodegeneration and not others.
- And, because the same process is involved, it also explains why Alzheimer's disease frequently occurs alongside Parkinson's disease.
A Future Without Alzheimer's?
The vision for the future, outlined by Baroness Greenfield, is to develop a blood test for T14 that could be given routinely at the doctor's office. If the test identifies the beginnings of neurodegeneration, the patient would be prescribed a nasal spray that would put a stop to the disease process, so memory loss never develops. Those already showing signs of memory impairment or already diagnosed with Alzheimer's would also be treated with the spray. In this way the cognitive impairment, at the very least, wouldn't get any worse. This dream is some way off, however. The first phase 1 human trial of this new nasal spray is not expected to begin until the latter part of 2024. I will keep you posted.- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25720408/
- https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/trc2.12274
- https://neuro-bio.com/novel-drug-from-neuro-bio-effective-in-a-mouse-model-of- alzheimers-disease/
- https://neuro-bio.com/neuro-bio-press-conference-at-the-royal-college-of-physicians- in-london-05-04-2022/
