Polish studies on mice in search for a cure for Alzheimer's disease

"The procedure for purchase mice in the United States is underway. We expect to receive them in September and begin the study" - said Dr. Tomasz Mroczek of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Lublin.

Alzheimer\'s disease is a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system, causing neurodegenerative changes in the brain and leading to dementia. So far, its causes are unknown, but previous studies have shown that a mutation of certain genes contributes to its development.

Researchers from Lublin will use specially selected transgenic mice, whose DNA has been genetically engineered for Alzheimer\'s disease. These mice will have the genes that cause changes in the brain and lead to dementia.

"Our task is to determine whether the substances that we have selected during our several years of research, inhibit the development of dementia processes" - said Mroczek.

The Medical University will investigate the action of four substances of plant origin. Mroczek did not want to disclose detailed information about them. He said that scientists from Lublin are looking for substances acting similarly to galanthamine obtained from snowdrops, which is already used to inhibit the development of Alzheimer\'s disease.

"We have tested several plants. In our research we have selected a similar group of substances, which are even more active than galanthamine. Our goal is to develop a substance that would be even more effective in delaying the dementia process" - he emphasised.

Lublin transgenic mice study in search of a cure for Alzheimer\'s will be the first of its kind in Poland. Mroczek explained that in contrast to studies on normal mice (carried out in the late 1990s and early twenty-first century) tests on transgenic mice offer an opportunity to identify the cause and mechanism of the disease.

"Tests on transgenic mice can contribute new data, new results when it comes to searching for the molecular mechanism of Alzheimer\'s disease" - he noted.

In the study, in addition to the administration of plant substances, mice will also subject to various behavioural tests checking their memory processes - for example, whether they remember the way in the tunnel, through which they went. Scientists will collect mouse brain samples, which will then be examined by geneticists.

80 mice will be purchased for the research project, which is expected to cost about PLN 100 thousand. Researchers from Lublin received a grant of PLN 400 thousand from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

The results will be known in about six months. "We hope that our study will be used to develop a patent, raise interest in the pharmaceutical industry, and perhaps make new drugs" - said Mroczek.

Alzheimer\'s disease can not be cured, only its development delayed. It usually affects people over 65. Epidemiological studies have shown that the risk increases with age: among people over 65 about 14 percent suffer, over 80 - about 40 percent. Researchers estimate that more than 30 million people suffer from the disease worldwide, about 250 thousand in Poland. Most of them have not been diagnosed.

Due to the increasing life expectancy and the aging of human population, the number of patients with Alzheimer\'s will grow in the coming years; according to some estimates, in 2050 the number of patients may increase three times.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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