CJD research potential for Alzheimer’s
Researchers working on treatments for the brain disorder Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) may have found a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's affects 500,000 people every year in the UK.
Scientists discovered that two antibodies, which have been investigated for their potential in treating CJD, may also impact Alzheimer's disease. The antibodies, ICSM 18 and 35, have been found to block the accumulation of the protein 'amyloid beta', which attaches to the nerve cells in the brain in Alzheimer's sufferers. The accumulation of amyloid beta is associated with and may cause the reduced brain function and memory loss characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
This most recent study in mice suggests that the antibodies could not only be used in developing a treatment for CJD but also for Alzheimer's, which is a far more common form of dementia. Clinical trials of these antibody treatments will begin next year for their use against CJD. If successful, the trials are likely to be repeated for patients with Alzheimer’s.