SAN FRANCISCO: Bexarotene may be able to prevent dementia in the future.
“Millions could be offered wonder drug to prevent Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear,” is the overhyped headline.
The “wonder drug” in question, bexarotene, has only been tested in worms as part of this latest Alzheimer’s research.
Researchers tried to identify drugs able to prevent the formation of abnormal clumps of beta-amyloid proteins, known as aggregates, inside the brain. Aggregates are thought to contribute to the damage to nerve cells seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers tested drugs on nerve cells in the laboratory, as well as in genetically modified worms, and found the cancer drug bexarotene had a beneficial effect. The drug is currently used in the treatment of a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Bexarotene was found to slow down the sticking together of aggregates and reduce toxic effects on nerve cells. It was also able to prevent the effects of beta-amyloid accumulation in genetically modified worms if it was given early on in their life cycle. But the drug didn’t have this effect if given to worms already showing the effects of beta-amyloid accumulation.
The side effects of bexarotene weren’t discussed in this study. Common side effects include skin damage, fatigue, and raised cholesterol levels.
The big question is would otherwise healthy people be willing to tolerate these side effects on the off-chance bexarotene prevents Alzheimer’s?
Human studies are required to provide a better understanding of the risks and benefits of bexarotene for Alzheimer’s to better answer this question…