New Drug Restores Lost Alzheimer’s Memories in Mice

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In mouse trials, researchers have discovered a molecule that can restore both cognition and memories lost to Alzheimer’s disease.

How Current Treatments Fall Short

In a press release about the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the University of California at Los Angeles explained that the synthesized molecule works much differently from current Alzheimer’s drugs on the market.

The predominant field of research into the disease has long focused on the buildup of harmful amyloid plaques in the brain as a primary driver of Alzheimer’s progression. Over the years, scientists have tested various approaches to clear these plaques. However, more recent studies show that monoclonal antibodies designed to remove plaques do not restore the cognitive function and memories already lost to the disease.

“They leave behind a brain that is maybe plaqueless,” explained UCLA neurologist and study leader Istvan Mody, “but all the pathological alterations in the circuits and the mechanisms in the neurons are not corrected.”

The Role of Gamma Oscillations

Along with plaque buildup, early- to mid-onset Alzheimer’s is characterized by the slowing of gamma oscillations—brain waves that fire electrical signals essential for recall functions such as remembering a phone number.

That is where the new molecule, named DDL-920 after UCLA’s Drug Discovery Lab where it was synthesized, comes in.

Testing DDL-920 in Mice

Using both “wild-type” mice and mice genetically modified to exhibit Alzheimer’s, the UCLA researchers hypothesized that DDL-920 could adjust the process that normally puts the brakes on these important oscillations.

After two weeks of oral administration of the drug containing the molecule, the Alzheimer’s mice were able to recall maze escape routes at rates similar to their wild-type counterparts. They also showed no unusual behavior after receiving the treatment.

Looking Ahead to Human Applications

As Mody notes, a great deal of work remains to determine whether DDL-920 could be safe and effective for humans. If the researchers succeed, the molecule could have significant implications for other disorders marked by disruptions in gamma oscillations, including autism spectrum disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

“We are very enthusiastic about that,” Mody said in the press release, “because of the novelty and the mechanism of action that has not been tackled in the past.”

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