A range of age-related conditions are characterized by a buildup or clumping of harmful proteins, and research tends to focus first on ways to safely break down these compounds. Here researchers are testing a new candidate method of breaking down the beta amyloid and tau associated with Alzheimer's disease:

Last March, researchers at UCLA reported the development of a molecular compound called CLR01 that prevented toxic proteins associated with Parkinson's disease from binding together and killing the brain's neurons. Building on those findings, they have now turned their attention to Alzheimer's disease, which is thought to be caused by a similar toxic aggregation or clumping, but with different proteins, especially amyloid-beta and tau.

And what they've found is encouraging. Using the same compound, which they've dubbed a "molecular tweezer," in a living mouse model of Alzheimer's, the researchers demonstrated for the first time that the compound safely crossed the blood-brain barrier, cleared the existing amyloid-beta and tau aggregates, and also proved to be protective to the neurons' synapses - another target of the disease - which allow cells to communicate with one another.

Even though synapses in transgenic mice with Alzheimer's may shut down and the mice may lose their memory, upon treatment, they form new synapses and regain their learning and memory abilities. ... For humans, unfortunately, the situation is more problematic because the neurons gradually die in Alzheimer's disease. That's why we must start treating as early as possible. The good news is that the molecular tweezers appear to have a high safety margin, so they may be suitable for prophylactic treatment starting long before the onset of the disease.

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/uoc--rrp111512.php

Source:
http://www.fightaging.org/archives/2012/11/molecular-tweezers-versus-alzheimers-disease.php