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A Cure for Alzheimers?

Posted by michael on from the too-late-for-Reagan dept.

Frankenbean writes "Three different studies have shown that a vaccine can help prevent protein deposits from forming on the brain. These deposits are widely beleived to be the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Read more here."

6 comments

  1. first, um, I forget.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    what was the question?

  2. Re:Hmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Um..."hindering operation of the protein organelles" would not be a good way to treat anything, but rather to kill the person...
    It is analogous to destroying the power lines in your neighborhood where your goal is to turn off your television.
    Probably, like most vaccines, it causes the immune system to be more alert to this particular protein to more readily destroy it.

  3. Re:This is intriguing... by caffeinated_bunsen · · Score: 1

    IIRC, it was shown that Alzheimer's causes increased aluminum concentrations. So there is a correlation, but the cause-effect relationship is opposite what was originally supposed. I can't remember where I heard/read that, though.

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    Bugrit! Millenium hand and shrimp!
  4. This is intriguing... by jd · · Score: 2
    This =SERIOUSLY= fouls up the theory that Alzeimers is a result of long-term aluminium poisoning. You can't exactly develop a vaccine for metal contamination.

    (Unless there is more than one trigger required, of course. In which case, conventional metal detox chemicals on a regular basis should be just as effective as the vaccine.)

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    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  5. Alzheimer's Gene and Vaccine. by Schwarzchild · · Score: 3
    There is a much longer article on MIT's TechReview describing the discovery of the gene responsible for causing Alzheimer's and a little history on the guy (Dale Schenk) who found a vaccine for it.

    Sounds like they have several drugs in the pipeline that may block some of the effects of the disease but the search is furious to find a drug that will safely block the function of the beta-amyloid peptide.

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    "sweet dreams are made of this..."

  6. Hmm... by The+Unconquered+One · · Score: 3

    It should be said proteins are formed by RNA, specifically by ribosomes and synthesised by the endoplasmic reticulum. I speculate how this drug works..perhaps by hindering operation of the protein organelles? Regardless, be sure to check out cell biology @ utmb under the protein section, if you're interested in how proteins function (this was missed in the article).

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    It's not cool to use other peoples code... -