Scientists May Be Able to Restore Alzheimer's Disease Memory Loss

A study published in Brain suggests the memory of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be restored, reports United Press International . The researchers were able to temporarily reverse epigenetic factors in mice that cause memory loss during the disease's late progression. "We found that in Alzheimer's disease, many subunits of glutamate receptors in the frontal cortex are downregulated, disrupting the excitatory signals, which impairs working memory," says University of Buffalo Professor Zhen Yan. Mice with Alzheimer's received three doses of compounds designed to inhibit the enzyme that controls repressive histone modification. "Our study not only reveals the correlation between epigenetic changes and AD, we also found we can correct the cognitive dysfunction by targeting the epigenetic enzymes to restore glutamate receptors," Yan notes. The memory reversal reportedly persisted for a week, and now the team plans to synthesize a compound that more effectively penetrates the brain and lasts longer. "If many of the dysregulated genes in AD are normalized by targeting specific epigenetic enzymes, it will be possible to restore cognitive function and behavior," Yan says.