Immunotherapy against tau tangles in Alzheimer's mouse models

The potential therapies targeting two abnormal brain proteins - beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau were reported today at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna. 

Scientists also reported on how clinicians view and treat mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a research category used to define the state between normal ageing and Alzheimer's, that is now being used widely in clinical practice.

Alzheimer's Society comment:

'Immunotherapy is an important and exciting avenue for dementia research. Unlike the previously reported development of an amyloid vaccine, this new preliminary research has produced antibodies that target the faulty tau protein. Introduction of these antibodies may prevent tangles from forming in nerve cells in the brain. Early results have shown some promise but this is preliminary research and some technical challenges need to be overcome before this study can be translated into drug treatments for people with dementia.'

Professor Clive Ballard
Director of Research
Alzheimer's Society

Reference:

www.abstractonline.com

• Visit www.alzheimers.org.uk/icad for the latest Alzheimer's Society responses to news from the conference.
• Visit www.alz.org/icad the official website of ICAD, the world's leading forum on dementia research.