Asthma Drug: Rejuvenating Aging Brains

INTRODUCTION:

An anti-asthmetic drug was used in various trials with rats to determine its benefits on the aging brain. The inhibition of the leukotriene receptor signaling might be the key to restoring cognitive functions in older patients and those who have dementia.(A)

Scientists who have studied rats aim to begin similar trials on patients who have dementia from their discovery of an asthma drug which reduced brain inflammation as well as increasing neuron growth in their rats. According to these research findings, the drug that prevents asthma attacks could be the key to rejuvenating the aging process of the human brain. (B)

This drug is called 'montelukast' which improves memory and learning in older rodents whose performance matched those of younger animals in the cognitive tests performed.  In other words, it is a an anti-asthmatic drug that antagonizes leukotriene receptors which reduces neuronal inflammation, increases neurogenesis in the hippocamous, while improving memory and learning in older animals. This study demonstrated that through the inhibition of GPR17 receptor is mediated by using knockout gene approaches. (A)

The way in which montelukast works is through a combination of a decrease in brain inflammation and the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus. Although, performance of older rats improved the younger rats were not affected by the drug (in other words their performance did not improve but stayed the same). Now, the goal is to start clinical trails on patients with dementia. With age, the human brain functions decrease and can be clearly seen through symptoms of memory loss, decline in cognitive skills, decreased growth of formation of new brain cells, and gradual increase in inflammation of the brain. (B)

The reason as to why these scientists decided to research the affects of montelukast on the brain is because with patients who have asthma this inexpensive drug blocks inflammation. If this drug- that linked biological pathways to asthma- could decrease the various inflammatory conditions in the body, then there is a possibility that montelukast could perform the same functions and have the same affects on the human brain. (B)

RESEARCH:

Rats were given daily doses of montelukast. There were two age groups: four month old rats (equivalent to children/young adults in humans) to 20 month old rats( equivalent in age to 65-70 year old humans). Although the older rats did not have dementia, their brain functions showed a very similar decline as to those of older individual humans. Both groups of rats were trained to find within a pool a submerged platform. Once 5 days passed, the older rats were still uncertain about the location of the platform. Those that were given the drug, found the submerged platform almost as well as the younger rodents. (B)  

Two days were used as a break from training. Then, the next day the rats were lowered into the pool once more to look for the platform. The older animals had a difficult time remembering where the platform was. Those who were on the drug had better memory and found it almost as quickly as the younger animals. More tests were conducted to see how the rodents demeanor changed if familiar objects in their cages were moved from one place to another. The younger ones tended to spend more time observing the moved objects as did the older rats who were given the drug. The scientists linked this behavior to these rodents having better memory of the objects original positions. (B)

CONCLUSION: 

Results showed that the brains of the older rats that were on the drug had more new neurons and less inflammation than those who received the placebo.  The results of this study is very hopeful for those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases but more research has to be conducted in order for scientists to be sure of the benefits this drug will have on patients. (B)

 “The approach of repurposing existing drugs is a promising one as it could mean new treatments for dementia become available in half of the time of a standard drug - bringing hope to hundreds of thousands. Through our drug discovery program, Alzheimer’s Society is currently co-funding a clinical trial into the arthritis drug Etanercept, which could work in a similar way by reducing inflammation in the brain.(B)

Since life expectancy has increased, more and more age related cognitive illnesses have become more common. This represents a great challenge to physicians, researchers, and scientists alike to find cures for these chronic diseases and ways in which they can better treat individuals with such age related cognitive difficulties.

Links:
(A)http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/151027/ncomms9466/full/ncomms9466.html
(B) http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/oct/27/asthma-drug-could-rejuvenate-ageing-brains-study-suggests

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