Submitted via IRC for Bytram
New molecules reverse memory loss linked to depression, aging
New therapeutic molecules developed at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) show promise in reversing the memory loss linked to depression and aging.
These molecules not only rapidly improve symptoms, but remarkably, also appear to renew the underlying brain impairments causing memory loss in preclinical models. These findings were presented today at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting in Washington DC.
"Currently there are no medications to treat cognitive symptoms such as memory loss that occur in depression, other mental illnesses and aging," says Dr. Etienne Sibille, Deputy Director of the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at CAMH and lead scientist on the study.
What's unique and promising about these findings, in the face of many failures in drug development for mental illness, is that the compounds are highly targeted to activate the impaired brain receptors that are causing memory loss, he says.
It took a series of studies – the most recent appearing in January 2019 in Molecular Neuropsychiatry – to reach this stage. First, Dr. Sibille and his team identified the specific impairments to brain cell receptors in the GABA neurotransmitter system. Then they showed that these impairments likely caused mood and memory symptoms in depression and in aging.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 22 2019, @09:17PM
from tfa, He expects to start testing the molecules in clinical research in two years.
(Score: 4, Funny) by JoeMerchant on Friday February 22 2019, @10:12PM (2 children)
By the time this is approved for use in Humans, I'll really be needing it, but will have forgotten that it exists.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Teckla on Saturday February 23 2019, @02:46PM (1 child)
Don't worry about forgetting it exists. It'll be too expensive for you to afford and/or require a special doctor's prescription that'll be extremely difficult to get anyway.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday February 23 2019, @07:05PM
This one might actually make it out under "societal need" pressure to make it affordable. Curing dementia in the elder population would reduce the elder care burden by a significant fraction.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday February 22 2019, @10:36PM
is good reading:
"New therapeutic ummm.... something developed at i think it was Ottawa...maybe Montreal...not sure show promise in reversing uhhhh..........yeah."
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Friday February 22 2019, @11:26PM
Not ALZ-113 I hope?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 23 2019, @01:54AM (1 child)
Or could be this is not so new?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gaba+supplement&hvadid=153673848935&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9019866&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13628242240409186898&hvtargid=kwd-96899916&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_6xu2whohsj_e [amazon.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 23 2019, @03:59PM
look up gamma hydroxy butyrate (or GHB or some of its analogues).
you will find that it had a lot of medical capability; a problem is the lack of patenting a naturally occuring molecule with theraputic potential.
and so after vilification and its subsquent removal as an over-the-counter supplement, the search has been on to find something that is patentable and similarly affects the GABA system.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Spamalope on Saturday February 23 2019, @03:50AM
with daily treatment
You're a customer for life. It passes the 1st big pharma test!