A single-dose nasal spray treatment could “clear” the build-up of toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease from brain cells and improve memory, scientists say.
The study – carried out on rats – paves the way for new treatments against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, say researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch he said.
Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be caused by the abnormal accumulation of two proteins in the brain called amyloid and tau, both of which have become important target for treatments.
Amyloid deposits, called plaques, build up around brain cells, while tau proteins form “tangles” inside brain cells.
“In healthy brains, tau proteins help keep things in order,” the University of Texas researchers explained.
“But in neurodegenerative diseases, they can become abnormally twisted and form tangles that disrupt neuronal function and lead to cognitive decline.”
Current treatments that aim to break up these tau tangles don’t work very well, as they struggle to penetrate the brain cell compartments where tau buildups reside, scientists said.
But their new nasal spray treatment “shows promising results in eliminating harmful tau protein accumulation” by improving cognitive function in older mice with neurodegenerative diseases.
“This nasal spray approach opens new avenues for non-invasive delivery of therapeutic tau antibodies directly to the brain and holds promise for many neurogenerative diseases,” said Dr. Rakez Kayed, professor in the Department of Neurology at UTMB.
“Our research highlights the potential of nasal tau immunotherapy to effectively target intracellular tau aggregates – a primary driver of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other tauopathies.”
Dr. Kayed and his team developed a specific type of antibody – TTCM2 – that recognizes and targets the accumulation of toxic tau, which is delivered to the brain through the nasal canal.
This method bypasses what is known as the blood-brain barrier.
This is a tightly closed layer of cells that helps defend the brain from harmful substances by acting as a filter.
It can pose a significant obstacle to delivering treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, but passing through the nasal canal means the blood-brain barrier is not an issue.
For the study – published in the journal Scientific Translational Medicine – a single dose of TTCM2 was administered to elderly mice that had been genetically altered to produce human tau proteins.
After three hours, TTCM2 was distributed throughout various regions of the brain, compartments within cells where tau deposits accumulated, eliminating toxic proteins.
The mice were then subjected to behavioral tests.
Those who were treated with TTCM2 performed “notably better” than other mice, suggesting that the treatment combatted short-term memory loss in mice with advanced tau tangles.
Other great Alzheimer’s discoveries
WHILE experts have warned that dementia diagnoses in England have reached record numbers, there have been a number of recent advances against brain-robbing diseases.
From “revolutionary” drugs gaining approval to blood tests that can detect the disease years before symptoms appear, here are other big discoveries about Alzheimer’s.
- A “revolutionary” Alzheimer’s drug called donanemab, which slows mental decline by up to 60 percent, has been approved in the United States. A UK decision on whether the drug will be available to UK patients with early symptoms is expected soon.
- A blood test that detects Alzheimer’s up to 15 years before symptoms appear will be made available free of charge on the NHS within a year. The new test is cheaper, easier and at least as accurate as current diagnostic options and works by measuring levels of a protein in the blood called p-tau217.
- Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind test that can predict dementia up to nine years before diagnosis, with 80% accuracy. It involves analyzing the network of connections in the brain when it is in “idle mode” to look for early signs of the disease.
- A woman who escaped Alzheimer’s disease despite half her family members having contracted it may have clues about how to prevent it, with scientists identifying a specific gene they believe could help prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers also noted an increase in biomarkers in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with memory formation and cognitive functioning.
Dr Kayed said: “This method not only improves the delivery of therapeutic antibodies, but also increases their effectiveness in eliminating tau aggregates and improving cognitive functions.”
Sagar Gaikwad, postdoctoral fellow at UTMB, added: “This breakthrough could significantly impact treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies, offering new hope for millions of patients suffering from these debilitating conditions.”
The researchers say their findings could bring future treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
They plan to continue their research with further testing and eventually exploring the potential of TTCM2-ms in humans.
“The goal is to translate these promising results into a viable treatment option for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other tau-related diseases,” they said in a statement. Press release.
It comes after experts warned that dementia diagnoses in England have reached record numbers.
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