Portuguese scientists discover new approach to combat Alzheimer's disease

A team led by neuropharmacologist Maria Jose Diogenes has confirmed the therapeutic potential of a new compound for treating Alzheimer's, marking a major step in combating the most common form of dementia, Lusa News Agency reported Friday, reported Xinhua.

The compound, named TAT-TrkB, was tested on mice models that simulate Alzheimer's disease, where it successfully "prevented memory loss and learning deficits without showing any side effects," said Diogenes, a researcher at the Institute of Pharmacology and Neurosciences at the University of Lisbon's Faculty of Medicine.

The innovative compound works through a unique mechanism, distinct from existing Alzheimer treatments. It protects brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a crucial molecule for memory and learning, whose effects are diminished in Alzheimer's patients, Lusa reported. It restores BDNF's function by preventing damage to its receptor, TrkB-FL, which is often cleaved in Alzheimer's, impairing the molecule's neuroprotective actions.

"Our results demonstrate that TAT-TrkB can improve memory and learning in Alzheimer's model mice in a significant way without adverse effects," Diogenes was quoted by Lusa as saying on the eve of World Alzheimer's Day, which is celebrated annually on Sept. 21.

The study's findings, published in the journal "Molecular Therapy," are part of ongoing efforts to better understand and combat Alzheimer's disease. Diogenes and her team are now working on refining the compound's delivery methods and exploring related compounds, with the aim of advancing toward clinical trials.

This breakthrough offers hope for treatments that could not only slow Alzheimer's progression but also potentially restore cognitive functions in patients. However, more research is needed before the compound can be tested on humans.