Scientists at Washington University have developed a test that can quickly tell how effective a drug is at treating Alzheimer’s disease. Until now, this process has involved assessing the patient’s mental functioning over a long period of time. The new measurement tool is called “stable isotope-lined kinetics (SILK)” and it takes just 36 hours. Scientists say this could help speed up the development of new treatments.
The test was created to find whether an Alzheimer’s drug given to healthy volunteers could reduce production of a substance known as amyloid beta. This is the culprit that forms plaque in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, which scientists believe cause the mental deterioration. Read more…
Posted by Carrie Pollare
Source: Belleville News-Democrat
Tags: Alzheimer's Disease
