‘Turning Point’: Scientists Believe They Have Found a Cure for Dementia

Scientists hope they have found a cure that stops neurodegenerative brain diseases, including dementia, BBC reported on Thursday.

The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) first halted the decay of brain cells in animals in 2013, which was news that traveled around the world.

However, the active substance was not suitable for human use, as it caused organ damage.

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Now, two new drugs have been found that should have the same protective effect on the brain and have been proven to be non-harmful to humans.

“This is very exciting,” said Prof. Giovanna Mallucci from the MRC’s Department of Toxicology in Leicester.

She now wants to initiate clinical trials on dementia patients and expects results to be known within two to three years.

Natural Defense Mechanisms

The new approach is based on the natural defense mechanisms of brain cells. When a virus enters a cell, viral proteins are produced. The cells respond by halting the production of almost all proteins to stop the spread of the virus.

Numerous neurodegenerative diseases involve the production of harmful proteins that activate the same defense, but with much more detrimental consequences. Brain cells halt production for so long that they eventually die off themselves.

This process can destroy the ability to move, remember, and depending on the disease, can lead to death.

In the first study, scientists managed to prevent the activation of the defense mechanism and halt the progression of prion disease in mice, marking the first time a neurodegenerative disease has been stopped in animals.

Further research has shown that this approach could stop a whole range of degenerative diseases. Experts describe this discovery as a “turning point” in the field, although the active substance is harmful to the pancreas, BBC reports.