Posted by linkadge on November 2, 2008, at 9:43:18
In reply to Re: Valproic Acid treats alzheimer )) Mike, posted by JadeKelly on November 1, 2008, at 22:34:48
Folks, the point of this study was really not to suggest that valproate itself is going to treat Alzheimers.
Valproate is *NOT* currently used to treat Alzheimers. If it is used in Alzheimer's patients it is used for its sedative and/or mood stabilizing effects. I.E. it is just being used to control behavioral symptoms associated with Alheimer's or dementia.
Seroquel is also *NOT* used to treat Alzhimers. Studies show that atypicals speed the progression of cognative decline in Alzheimers. If it is being used, it is used for behavioral control and/or emotional symtpoms that are associated with the disease.
The study that was done was in mice. Keep in the mind that study only showed that valproate reduced the formaiton of plaques and tangles associated with the disease. There is no evidence that it can actually do anything for the disease after the plaques have formed. And also, as mentioned, the drug has nasty cognitive side effects of its own which may totally outstrip any Alzheimers preventitive effect.
The real point of the study was to suggest that researchers can look for other, more selective GSK-3b inhibitors to do the same thing in a more palatable way.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:859623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081027/msgs/860350.html