New combination drug could repair the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease

Neuron time

Neurons receive, process and transmit all the impulses of our brain. These are essentially the building blocks of the human nervous system. Once they have been damaged by Alzheimer's disease or another brain injury, they are exhausted – they have no ability to regenerate.

In contrast, glial cells that support and isolate neurons make Penn State researchers believe they have found an effective way to turn glial cells into neurons – a discovery that could lead to a pill to repair brain damage.

Molecular report

Based on a previous study, the Penn team knew that it was possible to convert human glia into neurons using a sequence of nine small molecules. However, the large number of specific molecules and sequences made it difficult for the laboratory research to transition to something that could work in a clinical setting.

In a study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports On Thursday, Penn's team explained how she had found a way to streamline the process of creating neurons from a type of glial cell called astrocytes with remarkable success.

"We identified the most effective chemical formula among the hundreds of drug combinations we tested," researcher Jiu-Chao Yin said in a press release. "By using four molecules that modulate four critical signaling pathways in human astrocytes, we can efficiently transform human astrocytes – up to 70% – into functional neurons."

Dream delivery

The Penn team acknowledged in the press release that it still had a lot of work to do before its latest research could help people with brain injuries, but it is extremely optimistic for the future.

"The most important benefit of the new approach is that a pill containing small molecules could be widely distributed worldwide, even in rural areas without advanced hospital systems," said the chief research officer , Gong Chen.

"My ultimate dream is to develop a simple medication delivery system, such as a pill, that can help patients around the world suffer from stroke and Alzheimer's disease to regenerate new ones. neurons and restore their lost learning and memory capabilities, "he continued. "Our years of effort to discover this simplified medication formula are bringing us closer to a dream."