Studies in mice with Alzheimer’s show that sodium phenylbutyrate, known as Buphenyl, successfully increases factors for neuronal growth. Learn how this ability to protect learning and memory may block Alzheimer’s.
(CHICAGO) – Buphenyl, an FDA-approved medication for hyperammonemia, may protect memory and prevent the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Hyperammonemia is a life-threatening condition that can affect patients at any age. It is caused by abnormal, high levels of ammonia in the blood.
Studies in mice with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have shown that sodium phenylbutyrate, known as Buphenyl, successfully increases factors for neuronal growth and protects learning and memory, according to neurological researchers at the Rush University Medical Center.
Results from the National Institutes of Health funded study, recently were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
“Understanding how the disease works is important to developing effective drugs that protect the brain and stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kalipada Pahan, PhD, the Floyd A. Davis professor of neurology at Rush and lead investigator of this study.
A family of proteins known as neurotrophic factors help in survival and function of neurons. Past research indicates that these proteins are drastically decreased in the brain of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
“Neurotrophic factor proteins could be increased in the brain by direct injection or gene delivery,” said Pahan. “However, using an oral medication to increase the level of these protein may be the best clinical option and a cost effective way to increase the level of these proteins directly in the brain.”
“Our study found that after oral feeding, Buphenyl enters into the brain, increases these beneficial proteins in the brain, protects neurons, and improves memory and learning in mice with AD-like pathology,” said Pahan.
In the brain of a patient with Alzheime’rs, two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells. While neurons die, other brain cells like astroglia do not die.
The study findings indicate that Buphenyl increases neurotrophic factors from astroglia. Buphenyl stimulates memory-related protein CREB (cyclic AMP response element-binding protein) using another protein known as Protein Kinase C (PKC) and increases neurotrophic factors in the brain.
“Now we need to translate this finding to the clinic and test Buphenyl in Alzheimer’s disease patients,” said Pahan. “If these results are replicated in Alzheimer’s disease patients, it would open up a promising avenue of treatment of this devastating neurodegenerative disease.”
MORE INFORMATION:
Other researchers involved in this study are Grant Corbett, neuroscience graduate student at Rush and Avik Roy, research assistant professor at Rush.
Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia among older people. Alzheimer’s affects as many as 5.3 million Americans.
Exciting! We need to find a treatment/cure much sooner rather than later!
I have been diagnoised with Dementia Stage 1 & court ordered to a place,that cares 4 people that have alz. or severe dementia. Bought a l.t.& got involved with whats going on with me.Now wondering if this treatmeant might improve my memory. 5 yrs.here- T.B.I.dementia,no taste or smell senses-HELP-anybody-please