Small molecule to fight neurodegenerative disorders?
Thursday 21st April 2011
A substance able to breach the protective barrier surrounding the brain has been identified in research that could improve the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.
Scientists searched through almost 390,000 chemical compounds before they identified the cholesterol blocking substance in the study, published in journal ACS Chemical Biology.
It was previously revealed by Aleksey G Kazantsev and his colleagues that the prevention of cholesterol formation in the brain could protect against some of the damage seen in conditions such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.
The new small molecule blocks the activity of a key protein for cholesterol production.
According to the authors, "it could have a broader application in other neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, for which modulation of cholesterol and other associated metabolic pathways might be of therapeutic benefit".
In other news, wearing a neck patch to increase the blood flow in the brain could stave off Alzheimer's disease, according to scientists.
Written by Angela Newbury
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