Summary
A study from Northwestern University suggests that an anti-seizure drug, levetiracetam, may stop Alzheimer’s disease from starting if taken long before symptoms appear. This drug prevents the creation of a harmful protein tied to Alzheimer’s by slowing down a cell process.
Key Facts
- Scientists studied levetiracetam, a drug approved in the U.S. to prevent Alzheimer's onset.
- It works by stopping brain cells from making a toxic protein called amyloid-beta 42.
- The drug is already used to treat seizures and is inexpensive.
- Current Alzheimer’s drugs focus on removing clumps of toxic proteins after they form.
- Researchers used mice, human neurons, and tissues for their study.
- Levetiracetam's mechanism involves slowing down the recycling of synaptic vesicles.
- This drug must be taken early, possibly 20 years before symptoms, to be effective.
- The drug may benefit those with high risk, like people with genetic Alzheimer’s or Down syndrome.
