Alzheimer’s and dementia can not only lead to total memory loss but also affect the motor function of the patient. Now, new research developed by a team of scientists from the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California, Irvine (USA) has suggested that a drug commonly used in the treatment of cancer could help regain the ability to create new memories .
This drug in question is RGFP966 and is currently used in cancer therapies to prevent the activation of genes that turn normal cells into cancer. What does it do in our brain? It causes neurons to have more plasticity and are, therefore, more capable of making connections and improving memory as the end of the process .
To test its effectiveness, the scientists conducted an experiment on mice. When they distributed the drug to the rodents with Alzheimer’s disease, they found that they were better able to retain and remember information, confirming the development of new connections between brain cells . The mice that were given the drug responded correctly more frequently to the tests than the control group that did not receive the drug. According to the researchers, this information learned during the experiment could be converted into long-term memory.
In humans, this drug could help to “rewire” the brain, keep neurons alive and create memories rich in detail and content: “People often recall an experience with limited detail; not everything we see, hear and feel is remembered. What has happened here is that memory is closer to a snapshot of the real experience instead of being scarce, limited or imprecise ”, explains Kasia M. Bieszczad, leader of the work .
The study has been published in The Journal of Neuroscience .
