Possible Alzheimer’s drug development announced

Researchers in the US have completed a study into a new drug which has been shown to have a positive impact in reversing the damage to the brain caused by Alzheimer's in mice.

Published in the journal Science, the study centred on work carried out by scientists at Case Western Reserve University and revealed amyloid plaques in the animal's brains were broken down at "unprecedented" rates.

Initially developed as a cancer drug, this development could prove important in the creation of a future cure for Alzheimer's.

"We need to be clear, the drug works quite well in mouse models of the disease. Our next objective is to ascertain if it acts similarly in humans," Professor Gary Landreth of the research team commented.

Data compiled by researchers at the University of California's Berkeley campus also recently found the development of amyloid plaques in individuals who have had a lifetime of reading and doing puzzles, crosswords and other mental exercises was less than in those who had not taken part in such activities.