Alzheimer's and Parkinson's symptoms have been reversed in fruit flies following treatment with a drug-like chemical, says research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The discovery, which centers around the protection of brain cells, could be a turning point in the fight against neurodegenerative disease, say the authors.
Neurodegenerative diseases occur when groups of nerve cells in the brain die, making it difficult for a person to move and to think.
According to Claire Bale, of Parkinson's UK, the symptoms of Parkinson's tend not to appear until 70 percent of nerve cells in the brain have already been lost.
Unfortunately, current treatments are only able to tackle the symptoms of the condition - they cannot slow or stop the degeneration of these cells.
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| Scientists are making progressing in techniques to protect nerve cells. |
Source: medicalnewstoday
