Currently, dementia is the 7th leading cause of death globally and is rising at an alarming rate (scientists expect it to grow threefold by 2050). In other words, we are in a race against the clock to find ways to combat this horrible set of diseases.
Researchers affiliated with Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, brought us another glimmer of hope by finding an encouraging potential treatment for one of the most common forms of dementia for people under 60, known as behavioral variant Frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).
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Destructive illness
BvFTD is a nasty and very destructive illness that can appear in people as young as 35 years old. People who have been diagnosed with bvFTD generally have 5 to 7 years left to live. The disease comes with behavioral and personality changes that tend to be very disruptive to patients and the people around them.
Commons symptoms are altered eating habits, apathy (typically marked by a loss of interest, motivation, or general drive), behavioral disinhibition (manifesting in unbecoming behavior such as offensive remarks or violation of personal space), compulsive behaviors (such as compulsively ordering objects or compulsive cleaning) and executive dysfunction (which manifests in deficiencies in organizing, planning or general reduced mental flexibility).
Tau protein accumulation
In approximately 50% of bvFTD cases, damage to neurons in the brain can be traced back to the accumulation of a protein known as tau. This protein is an important target for research in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease as well as other forms of dementia as a method to reverse the neurodegeneration induced by this tau accumulation.
Recommended article: What is the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia?
In their study, the Monash team tested a drug called sodium selenate, which could decelerate neurodegenerative damage and cognitive decline typical to several forms of dementia.
Promising results
The trial demonstrated that sodium selenate is well-tolerated and safe for patients with bvFTD over a period of one year. Notably, most patients that received receiving the drug showed no alteration in their cognitive or behavioral symptoms and lessened rates of brain atrophy.
Dr. Lucy Vivash, the lead author of the study, explained that sodium selenate increases the level of a particular enzyme in the brain that successfully breaks down the aforementioned tau protein. Participants in the trial that exhibited higher levels of selenium (which is a breakdown product of the drug) in their bloodstream showed less cognitive decline.
Additional research
In order to further test the effectiveness of sodium selenate, the research team is currently conducting a more extensive study in several hospitals across New Zealand and Australia. If the results hold up, we may have a great tool in our hands to aid in our fight against dementia.
If you are interested in more details about the study related to this article, be sure to check out the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, which we have listed below.
Sources and further reading:
Scientists may be able to predict types of dementia more accurately based on walking patterns - (Universal-Sci)
Can the MIND diet really lower the risk of developing dementia and improve your brain health? - (Universal-Sci)
Scientists predict that the number of people suffering from dementia will triple in less than 30 years - (Universal-Sci)
Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia - (Perelman School of Medicine)
A phase 1b open labelled study of sodium selenate as a disease-modifying treatment for possible behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia - (Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions)
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