Cancer Drug: Blocking the Enzyme IDO1 Can Improve Memory and Brain Function.
According to findings by a research team from Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, and several other institutions published on Thursday in the journal Science, a type of cancer drug could potentially be used to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Cancer Drug, Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have found that blocking an enzyme called indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, abbreviated as IDO1, can improve memory and brain function in models that mimic Alzheimer’s disease. IDO1 inhibitors have previously shown promising results in combating cancers like melanoma, leukemia, and breast cancer.
Melanie McReynolds, one of the authors of the study and an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University, said, “Research shows that IDO1 inhibitors, part of the set of drugs currently used for cancer treatment, hold significant potential in targeting and treating Alzheimer’s disease.”
Cancer Drug Offers Hope For Alzheimer’s Patients
Cancer Drug, According to the New York Post, researchers at Pennsylvania State University and Stanford University discovered that halting the action of IDO1 inhibitors helps restore healthy glucose metabolism in astrocytes. Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the human brain.
Glucose is a form of sugar that fuels many processes as the brain’s primary energy source. Low glucose levels can impair brain function, leading to seizures, loss of consciousness, and even permanent brain damage.
Prawina Prasad, a PhD student at Pennsylvania State University and an author of the paper, explained, “We demonstrate that by targeting brain metabolism, we can not only slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease but potentially reverse it.” The findings suggest that IDO1 inhibitors can have positive effects not only on cancer but also on dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Cancer Drug, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, characterized by symptoms like memory loss, confusion, and behavioral changes. While there is no definitive cure for this disease, medications can help manage symptoms or slow its progression in the early stages.
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