Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research - An Autonomous Institution

JNCASR scientists develop molecule to halt dementia

After nearly a decade of research, scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, have developed a molecule that could be a potential drug candidate to halt or cure Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia (accounting for 70-80% of cases worldwide). The research has been published in the journal Advanced Therapeutics.

According to the study, Dr. T. Govindaraju, Professor at JNCASR, and his team designed and synthesized molecules capable of reducing the toxicity of beta-amyloid peptide, which accumulates in the central nervous system. "The molecule, called TGR63, can rescue neuronal cells from amyloid toxicity. We observed that it helped reduce clumping and gradually reverse cognitive decline," stated Dr. Govindaraju.

Publication details:

Samanta, S., Rajasekhar, K., Ramesh, M., Murugan, N.A., Alam, S., Shah, D., Clement, J.P., and Govindaraju, T. (2021). Naphthalene Monoimide Derivative Ameliorates Amyloid Burden and Cognitive Decline in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Advanced Therapeutics, 2000225. https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000225

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