A natural remedy discovered by Australian scientists could play a key role in the treatment of dementia.
The scientists from the University of Graz, who worked in conjunction with researchers from the Free University of Berlin, said the substance "spermidine" stimulates the breakdown of "cellular scrap", Xinhua reported citing ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster, Monday.
Diseases Related to Old Age
Ageing is referred to the accumulation of changes that brings a person closer to death.
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This should aid, for instance, with memory loss problems, a major issue for sufferers of dementia.
According to Frank Madeo from the institute for molecular bioscience at the University of Graz, spermidine is found in all body cells, though its concentration decreases with age. The compound aids in the breakdown of defective proteins and other damaged cellular components.
![Dementia Risk Cut Down by High Dose Statins]( "Dementia Risk Cut Down by High Dose Statins")
Statins are generally used by the older population to cut down the risk of cardiovascular disease, Dr Lin explained
As a part of their study, the researchers conducted tests on fruit flies, where it was established that the older flies who had been administered spermidine had much better memory abilities.
When confronted with certain stimuli, these older flies, who otherwise performed poorly, reacted with the same success as the younger flies.
Given that fruit flies and mice have memory processes similar to humans, the researchers hope the positive results can be adapted to the treatment of dementia in humans. A targeted patient studies is expected to be the next step.
Source: IANS
Dementia Risk Cut Down by High Dose Statins
Statins are generally used by the older population to cut down the risk of cardiovascular disease, Dr Lin explained
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As a part of their study, the researchers conducted tests on fruit flies, where it was established that the older flies who had been administered spermidine had much better memory abilities.
When confronted with certain stimuli, these older flies, who otherwise performed poorly, reacted with the same success as the younger flies.
Given that fruit flies and mice have memory processes similar to humans, the researchers hope the positive results can be adapted to the treatment of dementia in humans. A targeted patient studies is expected to be the next step.
Source: IANS
Molecular Mechanism That may Cause Toxic Protein Buildup in Dementia Mapped
Studying the diseases of the brain is a massive challenge for researchers as extracting brain cells, or neurons, from a living patient is difficult and risky.
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 Link Between Dementia and Urinary Incontinence IdentifiedDementia patients are more likely to be diagnosed with urinary or fecal incontinence, says study published in PLOS Medicine. | Advertisement
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