Remove excess copper

Restoring copper balance in the brain restored memory to mice with Alzheimer's

Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+

Treatment is based on achieving a balance of copper levels in the brain. In Alzheimer's disease, its regulation is disrupted due to the accumulation of toxic plaques of amyloid and tau proteins, but scientists have figured out how to avoid this and cope with the main symptom of an incurable disease.

The strategy of regulating redox metal ions is an important therapeutic target in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. In this type of dementia, toxic plaques of proteins in the brain capture copper ions and as a result increase its amount by five times compared to a healthy brain. Scientists from France and China have developed a treatment that regulates the circulation of copper in the brain and leads to positive changes in the symptoms of the disease.

The team worked on a copper chelator called TDMQ20, a molecule that extracts copper from amyloid plaques and injects it into those brain structures where it is needed for normal functioning.

Article by Zhao et al. TDMQ20, a Specific Copper Chelator, Reduces Memory Impairments in Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Models published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience – VM.

Experiments on mouse models have shown that when administered orally, such therapy suppresses memory loss – the main symptom of progressive neurodegeneration.

A 16-day course of treatment significantly improved the cognitive abilities of rodents, and a three-month course also influenced their behavior.

Scientists believe that such a strategy should work in people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. It will slow down the development of an irreversible disease. Studies on the effectiveness and safety of this treatment strategy for humans are continuing.

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