Key to Alzheimer's Treatment May Be in the Liver, Not the Brain

A new study released March 4 by The Scripps Research Institute found that a substance that leads to brain plaque, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, might have its source in the liver and not in the brain. This new finding could lead to ways to prevent and treat the condition outside of the brain.

“This unexpected finding holds promise for the development of new therapies to fight Alzheimer’s,” said Greg Sutcliffe, who led the study at the institute. “This could greatly simplify the challenge of developing therapies and prevention.”

Sutcliffe’s research team found that lower levels of three genes in the livers of mice correlated to less amyloid, a fibrous substance that results in plaque in the brain. The mice were injected with a drug used for treating leukemia and gastrointestinal tumors that reduces the product of beta amyloid. The drug is called Gleevec. Testing found lowered levels of beta amyloid both in the blood and the brains of the test mice. Sutcliffe is now looking for partners to begin clinical trials.

The study was published online in The Journal of Neuroscience Research.

An estimated 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, including nearly half of people age 85 and older, according to The Scripps Research Institute.

A recent student report by the Alzheimer Association said that unless a treatment is discovered for the disease, the costs of care for people with Alzheimer’s from 2010 to 2050 will exceed $20 trillion.

City News Service contributed to this report.