Two new miracle drugs to protect brain cells; keep diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's at bay

Scientists have found two new miracle drugs that can block the pathway leading to the death of brain cells and prevent neuro-degeneration

The study, comes as a follow up to an earlier research in mice where the team from the Medical Research Council [MRC] Toxicology Unit in Leicester had discovered that the ammassed misfold proteins in mice with prion disease over-activate a natural defence mechanism and switch off production of a protein that is essential to brain cells. In several neuro-degenrative diseases, the build-up of misfolded proteins is a key factor in diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson. and prion. The researchers tried substitution on of the protein production with an experimental drug but found it to be poisonous to the pancreas and unsuitable for humans.

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For the new study, scientists tested 1,040 compound from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke – first in worms as their functioning nervous system is a fitting experimental model, before administering it in mammals.  They found compounds that could be further tested in mouse models of prion disease and a form of familial tauopathy (frontotemporal dementia – FTD).


 Researchers Led by Professor Giovanna Mallucci then spotted two miracle drugs that had the ability to restore protein production in mice – trazodone hydrochloride (an anti-depressant) and dibernzoylmethane (a trial compound for anti-cancer drug). The experiments revealed that the drugs restored memory in mice with FTD and prevented symptoms of brain cell damage in most of the mice with prion disease. The drugs also decreased brain shrinkage in both mouse models. For humans, the drugs are already licensed to be used, making the study to be clinical-trial ready.

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“We know that trazodone is safe to use in humans, so a clinical trial is now possible to test whether the protective outcome of the drug we see on brain cells in mice with neurodegeneration is also applicable to people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. We could detect in two or three years whether this method can slow down disease growth, which would be a very thrilling first step in treating these disorders,” said Mallucci who is now based at the University of Cambridge.

Mallucci, one of the five associate directors of the UK Dementia Research Institute, said: “Interestingly, trazodone has been used to treat the signs of patients in later phases of dementia, so we know it is safe for this group. We now need to find out whether administering  the drug to patients at an early stage could help check or slow down the disease through its effects on this pathway.”

Apart from the grant by the MRC, the research was also financed by the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation.

“We’re delighted by the potential of these discoveries. They show that a treatment approach originally detected in mice with prion disease might also work to prevent the death of brain cells in some forms of dementia. This research is at a very premature stage and has not yet been tested in people, but as one of the drugs is already available as a treatment for depression, the time taken to get from the lab to the pharmacy could be dramatically reduced,”  said the director of Research and Development at the Alzheimer’s Society, Dr Doug Brown.

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The chief science officer at the MRC, Dr Rob Buckle said: “The study builds on previous work by this team and is a good example of how really ingenious discovery science can quite rapidly transfrom into the possibility of real drugs to treat disease.”

Speaking to a News source, Mallucci said it was time for “clinical trials to see if there are related effects in people and put our money where our mouth is”.

“We’re very unlikely to cure them totally, but if you arrest the progression you change Alzheimer’s disease into something completely different so it becomes liveable with,” she added.

Even though the drugs are certified and approved, Mallucci suggested that people should “wait for the results”.