HEALTH NOTES
NEW DRUG REVERSES MENTAL DECLINE, ACCORDING TO STUDY
COGNITIVE decline in old age may not be permanent, as a new drug has been shown to reverse it.
The drug, called ISRIB, boosts protein production in cells and a study with mice pointed to improved memory and mental flexibility.
It has previously been shown to restore memory after brain injuries, and repair cognitive function in people with Down’s syndrome.
“ISRIB’S rapid effects show that a significant component of age-related cognitive losses may be caused by a kind of reversible physiological ‘blockage’,” said Dr Susanna Rosi, of the University of California.
BRITISH STUDIES COULD LEAD TO RELIEF FOR SOME SKIN CONDITIONS
UK SCIENTISTS have discovered how chronic conditions such as psoriasis and eczema develop in skin cells, a breakthrough they believe, could open doors for potential new treatments.
Professor Muzlifah Haniffa, co-senior author from Newcastle University and Associate Faculty at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “This Skin Cell Atlas reveals specific molecular signals sent by healthy developing skin to summon immune cells and form a protective layer.
“We were amazed to see that eczema and psoriasis skin cells were sending the same molecular signals, which could over activate immune cells and cause the disease.
“Discovering that developing cell pathways re-emerge is a huge leap in our understanding of inflammatory skin disease, and offers new routes for finding treatments.”