Scientists have been stumped by the search for a way to treat Alzheimer's. Some researchers are looking at whether treating the systems affected by Alzheimer's may help them find a cure.
A new study shows that drugs used to treat attention deficit disorder may show promise in managing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers looked at the effects of noradrenergic drugs on Alzheimer's disease symptoms. The drugs were found to improve certain brain functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The noradrenergic system consists of a small part of the brain. The area is involved in a wide range of brain functions. Our body's "fight or flight" response is influenced by the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which is a special type of brain cell.
The first recorded brain area that shows signs of Alzheimer's disease is the locus coeruleus. These signs are caused by tangles of the same name. Good brain function is dependent on the availability of tau. In people with Alzheimer's disease, there is a build up of a group of genes.
They interfere with the noradrenergic system's ability to keep the brain healthy. Losing function in the noradrenergic system can lead to inflammation in the brain, which is a sign of Alzheimer's disease.
There are problems with the way the noradrenergic system functions in other mental health conditions. Noradrenergic treatments may be used for these disorders. Patients with these disorders are more likely to develop Alzheimer's.
Depression and anxiety are common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Patients with Alzheimer's are more likely to die early if they have mental health issues.
The researchers pooled together 19 studies to look at data from over 1,700 patients. They looked at a number of drugs that are used to treat depression and attention deficit disorder.
The drugs improved the thinking and understanding of people with Alzheimer's disease. They weren't shown to improve the performance of specific memory functions.
A common symptom of Alzheimer's is apathy. Quality of life can be reduced by a lack of apathetic people. Ritalin was the most popular drug used to improve apathy in Alzheimer's patients.
Some people with Alzheimer's disease can benefit from the use of noradrenergic drugs if they are given the right dose. This is not an experimental study, so caution should be taken when drawing conclusions. There was a lot of variability in the way the studies were conducted.
Although these drugs were shown to have some benefit for brain function, they can come with a variety of side effects. When used, these include heart problems, addiction, and may result in brain changes or psychiatric symptoms such as paranoia. It will be important for future studies to prove the benefits of these drugs, and that the risks are not worth it.
When it comes to the noradrenergic drugs investigated in this study,Ritalin has recently been used short term in a clinical trial and has shown positive results. Mirtazapine, one of the drugs investigated in the study, was associated with an increased risk of premature death.
The study didn't show any improvement in memory issues for people with Alzheimer's, but it did show that it may be time to move in a new direction when it comes to treating this disease. Treatments that target the systems that are involved in different Alzheimer's symptoms could benefit from being included in the research.
E leftheria Kodosaki is a research associate in neuroscience at the university.
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