Scientists explore new brain disease therapy
European scientists have collaborated to learn more about diagnosing and treating neuropsychiatric disorders, which are among the biggest challenges in modern medicine.
For many brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy, there are either no medicines or existing therapies do not work for all patients.
Professor Rona Ramsay of the University of St. Andrews, UK, chaired a European co-operation in Science and Technology (COST) Action CM1103, which brought together chemists and biologists to focus on brain diseases where new therapies are needed. One of the areas she has been exploring is the potential of ‘dirty drugs’ – molecules that interact with several targets in the brain.
She said: “We can now design drugs to hit specific targets. In Alzheimer’s, for example, we are developing drugs to keep acetylcholine, dopamine and serotonin in the synapses for longer; add an anti-oxidant to prevent damage caused by dying brain cells; then add a metal to ‘mop up’ oxidants which would otherwise cause problems.”
To achieve this, multidisciplinary networks have to design molecular structures and test them in brain cells and animal models. Participants in the network have filed a patent on one potential treatment and plan to move forward with a view to clinical development.
According to Ramsay, the biggest value of this COST Action, arose from partnerships between academics and the valuable exposure to other disciplines that it offered younger researchers.
Dr Katrina Nikolic, University of Belgrade, Serbia, added: “Our collaboration with organic chemists in Spain, Germany and the UK allowed us to test compounds which could become drugs for Alzheimer’s disease.
“This is very important for labs like ours and a big step forward for my career.”
The network is currently finalising an e-book of its research results.
