Experimental drug reverses Alzheimer's in mice

• For many years, scientists have considered Alzheimer’s disease to be irreversible. For this reason, much research has focused on preventing or slowing disease progression, rather than reversal.
• However, a recent study in mice investigated a compound with neuroprotective properties that may repair damage and recover cognitive function.
• In the animal models of advanced Alzheimer’s disease, the compound could restore levels of a vital cellular energy molecule and reverse disease-related brain damage.
• Although further research is necessary, these findings suggest that treatments aimed at restoring brain energy balance may offer a potential option for reversing cognitive function.

In the United States, more than 7 million adults aged 65 and over are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This progressive condition causes memory loss and cognitive decline. It accounts for 60% to 80% of dementia cases in the U.S.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an essential enzyme that has a role in many important cell functions, such as energy metabolism and DNA repair. NAD+ levels naturally decline with age and may relate to a higher risk of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Lower levels of NAD+ may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease risk due to an increase in oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein aggregation. As such, research is investigating NAD+ restoration and its potential neuroprotective role.

A research team from Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals (UH) and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center investigated whether restoring the brain’s energy balance by maintaining NAD+ balance could prevent and even reverse Alzheimer’s disease.

The study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, was a continuation of the research team’s previous work suggesting that boosting NAD+ levels could aid recovery in mice models with traumatic brain injury.