Stanford Reverses Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's with Brain Metabolism Drug
Neuroscientists at Stanford found that blocking the kynurenine pathway can reverse cognitive decline in Alzheimer's mice. Existing cancer drugs targeting IDO1 may be repurposed for Alzheimer's treatment, with future human trials planned.
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Neuroscientists at Stanford University have discovered that blocking the kynurenine pathway in the brain can reverse cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease in mice. This pathway, which is disrupted by amyloid plaques and tau proteins, affects brain metabolism and glucose utilization, crucial for cognitive function. The research team, part of the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, found that inhibiting the enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) restores healthy brain metabolism, improving cognitive performance in lab mice. The study indicates that existing drugs targeting IDO1, already in clinical trials for cancer, could be repurposed for Alzheimer's treatment, potentially accelerating the development of effective therapies. The findings suggest that improvements in brain plasticity and cognitive function were observed across different Alzheimer's models, indicating the broad applicability of this approach. Future research aims to test IDO1 inhibitors in human patients to evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing cognition and memory.
- Blocking the kynurenine pathway can reverse cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
- The study highlights the potential of repurposing existing cancer drugs for Alzheimer's treatment.
- Improvements in cognitive function were observed in lab mice with different Alzheimer's pathologies.
- Future trials will assess the effectiveness of IDO1 inhibitors in human patients.
- The research bridges neuroscience and oncology, offering new avenues for Alzheimer's therapy.
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