Joined: 12/6/2011
Posts: 3326
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From Alzheimer's Daily News:
(Source: ScienceDaily) - Alzheimer's disease is an incurable, progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting over five million Americans, and is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. Currently, intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment is being explored in multiple off-label uses other than immunotherapy, including AD. Several clinical studies assessing the tolerability and efficacy of IVIG in Alzheimer's disease subjects are in progress with inconsistent outcomes.
Dr. Giulio Maria Pasinetti, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and his team of investigators recently found that prolonged administration of human immunoglobulin in models of Alzheimer's disease, using immunoglobulin (~5-20) fold less than equivalent doses used in Alzheimer's disease patients and is effective at attenuating Alzheimer's cognitive dysfunction while promoting synaptic plasticity. "This experimental observation provides a rational basis for rectifying the inconsistency of study outcomes in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials with IVIG," said Dr. Pasinetti.
"We now have the much needed information supporting the potential application of slow release of immunoglobulins delivered subcutaneously to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease, even at pre-symptomatic stages of the disease," Dr. Pasinett addedi.
Dr. Pasinetti hypothesizes that the slow release of immuglobulins into the circulation and eventually into the brain for a protracted period of time may delay Alzheimer's disease dementia onset, its progression, and eventually its impact on learning and memory functions.
Go to full story: http://www.sciencedaily.com
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