Anti-seizure Drug Also Anti-Alzheimer’s

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A popular epilepsy drug may soon find a new purpose as an Alzheimer’s disease treatment, thanks to new research.

A recent study shows the anti-seizure drug valproic acid improved memory and shrank brain plaques in mice with an Alzheimer’s-like disease. The drug also prompted damaged nerves to start repairing themselves.

Results show valproic acid improved the animals’ performance in a variety of tests gauging memory.

The acid works against Alzheimer’s by blocking a series of reactions that culminate in the accumulation of the protein beta-amyloid. This protein builds up to toxic levels in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, eventually forming the disease’s signature brain plaques.

The drug was less effective as disease progressed, pointing to the need for future clinical trials to focus on patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

SOURCE: Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2008

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