Muriel Levy and her 79-year-old husband Gordon Hallerman have been married for 10 years. Second marriages for both. Gordon's good health faded two years ago when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
"There are times when I would walk into the kitchen and then not remember what it is I was going in there for," said Gordon.
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"Gordon is doing well and we work together. But certain things he was able to do he could no longer do," said Muriel.
But what if he could reverse what Alzheimer's has taken away?
"What we've been studying is a new medicine that helps the brain to recover from injury," explained Sam Gandy, M.D., PhD, Director of the Center for Cognitive Health at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.
Gandy explores the Alzheimer's brain and the plaque build-up that destroys the nerve cells responsible for memory.
"What this medicine does is to help form new brain cells," explained Gandy.
The drug doesn't have a name yet - only a number, BCI-838, and must undergo clinical trials in the elderly.
"We are aiming at people who perhaps already have some problems," said Gandy.
For Gordon, who sang professionally, this is the first drug aimed at patients just like him.
"It could be a life change for us," said Muriel.
Gandy and his team have tested BCI-838 in mice, and have also tested the drug for safety in humans, in a very small group of young, healthy adults. Gandy says the phase one clinical trial will recruit older adults who have mild Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment. When the trial is ready to begin enrollment, it will be posted on www.clinicaltrials.gov, and anyone interested can check the site for updates.
Additional Information:
As the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease occurs when brain cells degenerate and die. As the brain cells die, the brain actually shrinks. This causes a steady mental decline in overall mental functions as well as memory. Alzheimer's first destroys cells in the hippocampus causing short-term memory loss, followed by a decline of language skills and judgment which are controlled by the cerebral cortex. (Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/basics/definition/con-20023871, http://www.alzfdn.org/AboutAlzheimers/definition.html)
CAUSES AND PREVENTION: There are two notable abnormalities of this disease: plaques and tangles. Plaques are beta-amyloid protein clumps that form outside and around neurons, interfering with cell-to-cell communication. Tangles refer to threads of the protein, tau, that tangle inside of the brain and nerve cells. While Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, the risk of getting it increases after 65. Family history and genetics can play a small role in developing Alzheimer's; however, lifestyle and environmental factors are just as prevalent in increasing risk. Although these factors are not conclusively proven to reduce the risk of existing Alzheimer's, not maintaining blood pressure, cholesterol, controlling diabetes, smoking or lack of healthy diet and exercise can adversely affect your chances of getting it. Mental and social stimulants have been associated with prevention of Alzheimer's, such as: mentally challenging activities (reading, games), playing a musical instrument, and frequent social interactions
(Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/basics/causes/con-20023871, http://www.alzfdn.org/AboutAlzheimers/definition.html)
NEW DRUG TRIAL: Created as a pro-drug for the active agent BCI-632 for treatment-resistant depression, BCI-838 was studied for safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic effects in healthy male and female subjects. While it is similar to ketamine in that it creates early antidepressant responses, it differs in that it has a better safety profile and less liability. Its neurogenic effect on the hippocampus may make it an appropriate treatment for mood or cognitive disorders. Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Center for Cognitive Health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, published a study with the Institute of Medicine, showing the effect of BCI-838 in mice which resulted in improved learning and anxiety behaviors, as well as exaggerated neurogenesis. For more on Dr. Gandy's study, visit: http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Research/NeuroForum/2013-APR-8/Presentations/Session%201-4%20Samuel%20Gandy.pdf.
(Source: http://www.prnewswire.com)