Health & Fitness

RETIREMENT LIVING

RESEARCH

New Hope

Technion professor touts new drug
to treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Ronelle Grier
Special to the Jewish News

N

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40

February 24 • 2011

JN

ew treatment for the ravag-
ing effects of Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's diseases may
soon be available, according to a lead-
ing research scientist from Technion-
Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.
A drug that treats both diseases may
be approved within the next two years,
according to Professor Moussa Youdim,
who spoke to several groups of medical
professionals and laypeople during a
recent visit.
"Alzheimer's is the most devastat-
ing disease of the 21st century," said
Youdim, a Finkelstein Professor of Life
Sciences in the Technion Faculty of
Medicine, "worse than cancer or car-
diovascular disease. With those you die,
but this is a living death that affects the
entire family"
"The number one criterion for
Alzheimer's is aging. We have shot
ourselves in the leg as a result of hav-
ing better health and living longer:'
said Youdim, adding that older persons
who develop Parkinson's symptoms
have an increased risk of developing
Alzheimer's disease.
Youdim said that the causes of these
neurodegenerative diseases are not
known although mental activity and
environmental factors are thought
to be contributing factors. It is not
uncommon for patients to have both
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
at the same time, a condition known
as Lewy Body Dementia. There is also
a correlation between Alzheimer's dis-
ease and depression.
"It's not necessarily a cause and
effect; it's more like a domino effect:'
Youdim said.

Combination Of Medications
The new drug, called Ladostigil, com-
bines the properties of the Parkinson's
drug, Rasagiline, sold as Azilect, with
two other drugs that contain anti-
Alzheimer's and anti-depressant com-
ponents. It is currently undergoing 19
clinical studies in Europe, with results
expected in October.
Azilect, the first drug to actually slow
down the progression of Parkinson's,
was developed several years ago by
Youdim and his team at the Eve Topf

Neurodegenerative
Disease Research
and Teaching
Center of
Excellence, where
he serves as direc-
tor.
Youdim's presen-
tation was particu- Moussa Youdim
larly heartening to
a young woman in the audience who
was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
five years ago.
"I'm grasping at straws to keep me
from falling completely apart:' said
the woman, who asked to remain
anonymous. "If they can't prevent it,
then maybe they can at least slow the
progression."

Green Tea, Blueberries, Too
Youdim also touted the benefits of anti-
oxidants for preventing or decelerating
neurodegenerative diseases although
he acknowledged there have not been
many scientific studies.
"The medical community does not
study green tea and blueberries:' he
said.
Youdim said that the few studies that
have been conducted, including one
supported by actor and Parkinson's
patient Michael J. Fox, have shown
that green tea extract does promote
anti-Parkinson's activity in the human
brain. A study in Japan also showed
fewer cases of dementia among those
who drank 3-4 cups of green tea a day.
For those wishing to consume more
antioxidants, Youdim recommended
green tea, blueberries and pomegran-
ates.
"I think it's very exciting that they
can help patients and their families;
this is such a horrible disease said
Lynn Keidan-Segel of Farmington
Hills, whose father died as a result of
Parkinson's disease.
Technion researchers are also working
on other treatments for neurodegenera-
tive diseases, including a drug that will
remove excess iron from the brain.
"In every neurodegenerative disease,
there is too much iron:' said Youdim.
"It's like rusting in the brain."
For more information, contact Allan
Gelfond, regional director of American
Technion Society, at (248) 737-1992 or
visit www.ats.org . II