https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/f4b3d06d9d0a-breaking-news-japans-yamagata-univ-says-it-has-found-drug-effective-in-treating-als.html KYODO NEWS * ENGLISH * Jian Ti Zhong Wen * Fan Ti Zhong Wen * Ri Ben Yu * Latest * Japan * World * Sports * Feature * Arts * Coronavirus * Olympics * 3/11 Fukushima [INS::INS] Japan university finds Alzheimer's drug effective in treating ALS KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS - 18 hours ago - 13:43 | All, Japan * * * * * * Japan's Yamagata University said Friday it has found that a drug being developed for the treatment of Alzheimer's is also effective in treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The drug has been found capable of curbing the abnormal agglomeration of protein that causes the progressive neurodegenerative disease, the state-run university in northeastern Japan said. People with ALS lose their ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe as the disease kills motor neurons, causing muscles to weaken and eventually paralyze. [image_l] An amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sufferer (C) is given home care in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in November 2020. (Kyodo) There are currently drugs that can slow the progress of the disease, but the new medicine under development will be the first of its kind to work on protein accumulated in the brain and spinal cord, according to Takeo Kato, chief of the Yamagata National Hospital's ALS treatment research center. The fatal disease is characterized by the aggregation of ubiquitinated proteins in affected motor neurons, but the research team was successful in curbing the aggregation of proteins in mice with lab-grown ALS by administering the drug candidate. Since the experiment was conducted on mice suffering familial ALS, the less common type, researchers will now carry out experiments on mice with the more common sporadic or non-inherited ALS. The research team aims to start clinical trials involving human patients in 2024. There are about 10,000 people in Japan who suffer from ALS, with about 1,000 to 2,000 people being newly diagnosed with the disease every year, according to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, is thought to be caused by deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid and twisted fibers of another protein called tau building up in the brain, according to the Alzheimer's Association. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Related coverage: FOCUS: Health experts say ALS woman's death in Kyoto not case of euthanasia Disabled lawmaker in Japan uses speech synthesizer in 1st interpellation Cafe opens with robot waiters remotely controlled by disabled people --------------------------------------------------------------------- [image_l] Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS * * * * * * [INS::INS] Popular Japanese actress Sayaka Kanda dies after apparent fall at hotel Dec 19, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Japan university finds Alzheimer's drug effective in treating ALS Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Japan, U.S. draft operation plan for Taiwan contingency: sources Dec 23, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Japan launches COVID-19 vaccine certificate app Dec 20, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Japan's tight entry rules over Omicron variant to last into next year Dec 18, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Tweets by TwitterDev Made with Flourish More from Japan Coronavirus pandemic latest: Dec. 25, 2021 Coronavirus pandemic latest: Dec. 25, 2021 1 hour ago | KYODO NEWS FOCUS: Japan record budget plan unlikely to provoke debate on fiscal health FOCUS: Japan record budget plan unlikely to provoke debate on fiscal health Dec 25, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Japan will not send senior officials to Beijing Olympics Japan will not send senior officials to Beijing Olympics Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Coronavirus pandemic updates: Dec. 24, 2021 Coronavirus pandemic updates: Dec. 24, 2021 Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Deputy gov. fined over Japan foreign minister-linked election case Deputy gov. fined over Japan foreign minister-linked election case Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS 1st community spread of Omicron virus variant confirmed in Tokyo 1st community spread of Omicron virus variant confirmed in Tokyo Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS 50% of single-parent households in Japan struggle financially: study 50% of single-parent households in Japan struggle financially: study Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Kyodo News Digest: Dec. 24, 2021 Kyodo News Digest: Dec. 24, 2021 Dec 24, 2021 | KYODO NEWS Coronavirus pandemic latest: Dec. 25, 2021 KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 07:00 | All, World, Japan, Coronavirus * * * * About Us * Privacy Policy * Copyright * Links * Contact (c) Kyodo News. 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