A revolutionary drug may make a breakthrough in slowing the progression of dementia

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A team of scientists from Ontario, Stanford University and the University of California has developed a dementia drug that can extend the life of brain cells.

The team found that taking a pill twice a day can reduce levels of a harmful brain protein, called amyloid (one of the main hallmarks of the disease), by about 10%.

The study, which included 242 participants diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, revealed that benefits were observed in the patients' brains after only 6 months of taking the drug.

Side effects were few and mild, most notably diarrhea and headache.

In initial animal models, the drug has been shown to preserve neurons or reverse damage that translates into behavioral improvements, returning neurons to a nearly healthy state.

The new drug, called LM11A-31, targets a specific receptor (P75NTR) in the brain, which helps regulate the development of brain cells.

When nerve cells die, messages cannot be passed through the brain effectively, which can cause difficulties with thinking and memory.

The results of the recent trial, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that LM11A-31 enhances the passage of nerve messages between the receptor and cells to promote growth, and it was also observed to significantly slow the accumulation of amyloid.

Scientists said the drug is "interesting" because it directly improves the ability of neurons in the brain to develop and grow.

The team acknowledged that there were limitations to the study, which included a limited time frame and a small group of participants. Therefore, their ability to assess any difference in cognitive changes was limited.

However, scientists said the results are promising because they are not usually observed in short-term studies, with most studies taking two years or more to achieve such results.