A study conducted by the University of Kentucky in the United States revealed that the oral drug “ponesimod,” which is approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), can also inhibit inflammation contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Erhard Bieberich, PhD, a professor in the Department of Physiology in the UK College of Medicine, stated: “we are the first to show that ponesimod is effective in a mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease.” “Since this drug is already in clinical use for therapy of relapsing multiple sclerosis, it is immediately available to be used in Alzheimers disease therapy as well,” he added, considering the results as encouraging so far, with clear evidence that this drug reduces inflammation-causing cytokines and releases anti-inflammatory signals that encourage small glial cells to phagocytose troublesome protein clumps and tangles in the brain.
He also noted that the experiments conducted by the researchers provided evidence that the drug prevents excessive immune activity in the nervous system, which plays a critical role in the onset of dementia.
Source: Qatar News Agency