Nature Knows and Psionic Success

The brain is arguably the most important organ in our body. Not only does it control and coordinate our actions, it’s at the very centre of our human experience – it allows us to think, feel and form memories, and shapes our personalities too.

Yet many of us know nothing about how our brains actually work, let alone how to care for them.

“There has been a dramatic switch in the science over the last couple of decades and we’ve completely lifted the lid on what we know about how to look after our brains,” says Professor James Goodwin, neurologist and author of new book Supercharge Your Brain: How To Maintain A Healthy Brain Throughout Your Life

Goodwin is special advisor to the Global Council on Brain Health, holds a chair at Exeter University Medical School and is a visiting professor of physiology at Loughborough University.

“If you were to ask people at a dinner party how to look after your heart, most people would be able talk about watching their cholesterol or doing exercise. But if you ask them about the brain? You’ll often be met with a blank stare,” Goodwin adds.

However, as cognitive decline continues to be a major long-term health concern, and the number of people with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to 1,000,000 by 2025, perhaps we do need to know more about how to look after our brain health. Goodwin shares four easy ways to help keep your brain fighting fit at any age…

1. Make movement a part of your day

If your good intentions to complete a fitness plan in lockdown are flagging, here’s a good reason to set your alarm earlier and make sure you show up on the mat.

“In the past few years, researchers have found that exercise rejuvenates the brain,” says Goodwin. “It produces a chemical that stimulates new cells, and 30 minutes per day is all you need to reap the benefits – for five days a week at a moderate intensity.”

It could be something as gentle as brisk walking or moderate jogging, but the key is to make sure your chosen activity elevates your heart rate enough to get your blood pumping. Goodwin calls it a dose effect. “The more you do, the better the effect – but you can ruin the effects of that exercise completely by sitting down for more than eight hours per day. The longer we sit, the faster we age, so make sure you’re getting up every 20 minutes.”

2. Be a social butterfly

Social distancing rules have made it more difficult to catch up with friends, but being socially connected to others makes us feel safe and cared for, and this has big benefits for our brains.

“Humans would have never survived if we’d have been solitary animals,” stresses Goodwin. “We survived because we were in groups, and over 1.5 million years of social structure has cemented that into the brain. We’re highly dependent for brain health on this social interaction for others.”

Goodwin claims loneliness is as bad for our health as 15 cigarettes per day or a bottle of vodka, and that those who are persistently lonely have a 50% greater chance of dying than those who are not. “Another 12-year study found that those who said they were lonely showed a 20% faster rate of decline in their brain.

“The sensation of loneliness is quite natural. It’s like a hunger or thirst – it’s the brain telling us you need to seek out some company, in the same way hunger tells that you need to eat food,” says Goodwin.

3. Have a healthy sex life Woman and man holding hands “Frequent sexual intercourse with a close partner is beneficial to the brain too,” says Goodwin. According to the neurologist, it can foster better memory, better verbal fluency, and even better numeracy skills.

“A study on male rats, who had between 14-28 days of daily access to a receptive female, found that the number of new cells in that brain increased massively – and it worked better on the older rats, where it had a reverse ageing effect.”

Essentially, the older rats were reaching younger levels of brain rejuvenation, which Goodwin says is astonishing. But here’s the catch – he reckons it’s sex with familiar intimate partner that really has benefits. “ Rats who got dumped in with a strange female were stressed out, and while they still eventually had sex, the brain benefits were much more profound in those regular partner rats.”

4. Eat well

“These days, we’ve got the choice of eating what we want, but that doesn’t mean we always eat what’s best for our brain,” says Goodwin. “Vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc and omega three are what I call the ‘big five’. These are the nutrients we know people are short of in Western diet.

“For a start, most of people in the Northern Hemisphere, above 35 latitude, don’t get enough sunshine to get enough vitamin D for six months of the year. B12, meanwhile, is only found in a very few foods which are mostly animal products.”

Aside from eating a varied diet with lots of plants and wholefoods, Goodwin has a couple of standout kitchen staples to keep in mind. “Spinach and flaxseed are two brain-benefiting foods packed full of Omega 3s that we need for our diet. If you’re sprinkling flaxseed on your porridge in the morning, then crack on, as you’re doing good.”

It’s not just what you’re eating that matters, but the amount you’re eating too. “The Okinawa is a Blue Zone – one of the five lucky areas of the world where people regularly live to over 100 years,” says Goodwin. “They have this Japanese expression called ‘hara hachi bu’, which means ‘leave the table 80% full’.

“The result of that eating habit is they will live longer, and rates of Alzheimer’s in Okinawa are 75% less than everywhere else in the world.” Essentially, those all-you-can-eat buffets and bottomless brunches might not be as good a deal […]

Read more at www.independent.co.uk

Author and brain expert Professor James Goodwin tells Liz Connor about a few simple lifestyle changes to help slow and even reverse cognitive decline. The brain is arguably the most important organ in our body. Not only does it control and coordinate our actions, it’s at the very centre of our human experience – it allows us to think, feel and form memories, and shapes our personalities too.

Yet many of us know nothing about how our brains actually work, let alone how to care for them.

“There has been a dramatic switch in the science over the last couple of decades and we’ve completely lifted the lid on what we know about how to look after our brains,” says Professor James Goodwin, neurologist and author of new book Supercharge Your Brain: How To Maintain A Healthy Brain Throughout Your Life. Professor James Goodwin (James Goodwin/PA) Goodwin is special advisor to the Global Council on Brain Health, holds a chair at Exeter University Medical School and is a visiting professor of physiology at Loughborough University.

“If you were to ask people at a dinner party how to look after your heart, most people would be able talk about watching their cholesterol or doing exercise. But if you ask them about the brain? You’ll often be met with a blank stare,” Goodwin adds.

However, as cognitive decline continues to be a major long-term health concern, and the number of people with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to 1,000,000 by 2025, perhaps we do need to know more about how to look after our brain health. Goodwin shares four easy ways to help keep your brain fighting fit at any age…

1. Make movement a part of your day If your good intentions to complete a fitness plan in lockdown are flagging, here’s a good reason to set your alarm earlier and make sure you show up on the mat.

“In the past few years, researchers have found that exercise rejuvenates the brain,” says Goodwin. “It produces a chemical that stimulates new cells, and 30 minutes per day is all you need to reap the benefits – for five days a week at a moderate intensity.”

It could be something as gentle as brisk walking or moderate jogging, but the key is to make sure your chosen activity elevates your heart rate enough to get your blood pumping. Goodwin calls it a dose effect.

“The more you do, the better the effect – but you can ruin the effects of that exercise completely by sitting down for more than eight hours per day. The longer we sit, the faster we age, so make sure you’re getting up every 20 minutes.”

2. Be a social butterfly

Social distancing rules have made it more difficult to catch up with friends, but being socially connected to others makes us feel safe and cared for, and this has big benefits for our brains.

“Humans would have never survived if we’d have been solitary animals,” stresses Goodwin. “We survived because we were in groups, and over 1.5 million years of social structure has cemented that into the brain. We’re highly dependent for brain health on this social interaction for others.”

Goodwin claims loneliness is as bad for our health as 15 cigarettes per day or a bottle of vodka, and that those who are persistently lonely have a 50% greater chance of dying than those who are not. “Another 12-year study found that those who said they were lonely showed a 20% faster rate of decline in their brain.

“The sensation of loneliness is quite natural. It’s like a hunger or thirst – it’s the brain telling us you need to seek out some company, in the same way hunger tells that you need to eat food,” says Goodwin.

3. Have a healthy sex life “Frequent sexual intercourse with a close partner is beneficial to the brain too,” says Goodwin. According to the neurologist, it can foster better memory, better verbal fluency, and even better numeracy skills.

“A study on male rats, who had between 14-28 days of daily access to a receptive female, found that the number of new cells in that brain increased massively – and it worked better on the older rats, where it had a reverse ageing effect.”

Essentially, the older rats were reaching younger levels of brain rejuvenation, which Goodwin says is astonishing. But here’s the catch – he reckons it’s sex with familiar intimate partner that really has benefits.

“Rats who got dumped in with a strange female were stressed out, and while they still eventually had sex, the brain benefits were much more profound in those regular partner rats.”

4. Eat well

“These days, we’ve got the choice of eating what we want, but that doesn’t mean we always eat what’s best for our brain,” says Goodwin. “Vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc and omega three are what I call the ‘big five’. These are the nutrients we know people are short of in Western diet.

“For a start, most of people in the Northern Hemisphere, above 35 latitude, don’t get enough sunshine to get enough vitamin D for six months of the year. B12, meanwhile, is only found in a very few foods which are mostly animal products.”

Aside from eating a varied diet with lots of plants and wholefoods, Goodwin has a couple of standout kitchen staples to keep in mind. “Spinach and flaxseed are two brain-benefiting foods packed full of Omega 3s that we need for our diet. If you’re sprinkling flaxseed on your porridge in the morning, then crack on, as you’re doing good.”

It’s not just what you’re eating that matters, but the amount you’re eating too. “The Okinawa is a Blue Zone – one of the five lucky areas of the world where people regularly live to over 100 years,” says Goodwin. “They have this Japanese expression called ‘hara hachi bu’, which means ‘leave the table 80% full’.

“The result of that eating habit is they will live longer, and rates of Alzheimer’s in Okinawa are 75% […]

Read more at www.rte.ie

A Phase II clinical trial shows the innate immune system is a viable target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease.

The clinical trial data reported in the article “ Safety and efficacy of sargramostim (GM-CSF) in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease ” published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions , by scientists from the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), shows a man-made version (Sargramostim) of a natural protein (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, GM-CSF) may have both disease-modifying and cognition-enhancing activities in Alzheimer’s disease patients.

“The goal of the clinical trial was to examine the impact of a natural human protein called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We tested GM-CSF because people with rheumatoid arthritis tend not to get Alzheimer’s disease and we had previously found this protein, which is increased in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis, reduced amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s mice and returned their poor memory to normal after a few weeks of treatment. Thus, naturally increased levels of GM-CSF in people with rheumatoid arthritis may be one reason that they are protected from Alzheimer’s disease,” says Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the CU Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, who together with Jonathan Woodcock, MD, Timothy Boyd, PhD, and collaborators carried out the new trial.

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease exhibit markers of inflammation in their brains, cerebrospinal fluid and serum. Targeting inflammation using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs however, have not yielded any beneficial responses in patients with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in earlier trials.

Sargramostim/GM-CSF is prescribed to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments or exposure to radiation. The protein stimulates the bone marrow to make more macrophages and granulocytes, specific types of white blood cells, and progenitor cells that repair blood vessels. These white blood cells circulate throughout the body and remove cells, bacteria and amyloid deposits and also repairing blood vessels.

The current data reveals Sargramostim/GM-CSF is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

“Human GM-CSF is the active compound in the known human drug Sargramostim, and we are the first to study its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease,” says Potter.

The team carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial (NCT01409915) to test the safety and efficacy of Sargramostim treatment in participants with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

Study participants were either administered Sargramostim at the standard FDA dose of 250 μg/m2/day by subcutaneous injection, or saline for five days a week for three weeks. The study included 20 participants in the test and placebo group. Most participants in the study were recruited and treated at CU Anschutz with a few from the University of South Florida. The CU Anschutz researchers then conducted and studied multiple neurological, neuropsychological, cell, cytokine, Alzheimer’s pathology biomarkers and neuroimaging assessments.

The investigators found that short-term Sargramostim treatment increased innate and other immune cells, modulated cytokine measures, and was safe and well-tolerated by participants. They also found cognition memory improved by almost two points in the 30 point Mini-Mental State Exam. Brain amyloid, tangles, neurodegeneration, and measures of blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, all improved toward normal.

“These results suggest that short-term Sargramostim treatment leads to innate immune system activation, cognition and memory improvement, and partial normalization of blood measures of amyloid and tau pathology and neuronal damage in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” says Potter. “This surprising finding that stimulating the innate immune system and modulating inflammation may be a new treatment approach and induced us to start a larger trial of Sargramostim in Alzheimer’s disease with more participants treated over a longer time.”

The larger trial will be funded by the Alzheimer’s Association/Part The Cloud, the University of Colorado, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, and by a large grant recently awarded from the National Institute on Aging.

Read more at www.genengnews.com

The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content.

NEW YORK, March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — NEW YORK, March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In a natural response to injury or infection, the body produces chemicals that trigger the immune system to release antibodies and proteins plus increase blood flow to the afflicted area, which aids healing and produces inflammation. However, the immune system and the inflammatory processes have pernicious aspects far removed from beneficial healing. In fact, inflammation has been directly linked to a wide variety of physical and mental health maladies. Inflammation is also a symptom of infectious diseases, implicated in noninfectious diseases, and new findings show a causal relationship with postsurgical trauma. Inflammatory diseases are recognized as the most significant cause of death in the world, with more than 50% of all deaths attributed to inflammation-related diseases. The recognition of the connection between inflammation and disease sparked a flurry of biotech research and a new generation of drug development to treat previously untreatable disorders. World renowned scientists that now lead 180 Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: ATNF) ( 180 Profile ) pioneered the research and development of one of the first anti-inflammatory therapeutics to ever reach market, and today these drugs generate multiple billions of dollars in annual sales. Critical to creation of some the most important and profitable drugs ever on the market, the 180 team is in hot pursuit of new anti-inflammatory blockbusters with active programs in both preclinical and clinical studies. The world’s largest and most broadly based health-care company, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), owns Remicade (infliximab), a blockbuster several times over with approved use in a range of inflammatory diseases. The founders of 180 Life Sciences discovered the anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) drug class that led to the development of Remicade and to a $4.9 billion merger between JNJ and Centocor Biotech. AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV) owns Humira, an anti-TNF therapeutic and top-selling drug in the world. The scientists at 180 Life Sciences licensed the anti-TNF technology in development of Humira. One of the world’s leading biotech’s, Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN), bought Celgene’s blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug Otezla in 2019 for $13.4 billion in cash, and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) recently announced a deal for Rigel Pharmaceuticals’ autoimmune and inflammatory diseases treatment for $960 million. In addition to delivering much-needed relief for previously untreatable maladies, eye-popping sales and king-sized acquisitions are likely to accelerate in the anti-inflammatory space, as more new and highly effective drugs come to market.

Click here to view the custom infographic of the 180 Life Sciences Corp. editorial.

The Market

The global anti-inflammatory biologics market is expected to reach nearly $150 billion by 2027 and enjoy an 11% compound annual growth rate during the period. Strong demand and increasing sales already exist in the United States, and the demand for anti-inflammatory therapeutics is poised to surge in Europe due to government support for the drugs and favorable reimbursement policies. All the while, steadily increasing R&D investment, as well as mergers and acquisitions by biotech and pharmaceutical companies for development of blockbuster biologics appear likely to continue to propel market growth further in coming years.

Ongoing research and clinical trials for anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) antibodies in autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease seem likely to only add to market growth and expansion as new anti-TNF uses are found. The wild card is that new findings implicate inflammation in a variety of other disorders with high unmet medical need. Research is ongoing and clinical trials are in progress with more planned for later this year. With any success, market forecasts many have to be adjusted substantially higher.

Anti-Inflammatory Pioneers

The founding team members at 180 Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: ATNF) are the recognized pioneers of research and development in anti-inflammatory therapeutics. 180 Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that brings together the expertise of world-renowned scientists to develop and test novel treatments for inflammation and is currently working in both preclinical and clinical studies. By leveraging the combined expertise of luminaries in therapeutics from Oxford University, the Hebrew University and Stanford University, the company is leading new research into solving the complexities of inflammation to answer vast unmet medical needs.

180 Life Sciences has active programs developing novel drugs in separate areas of inflammation to offer solutions to large market maladies that have no effective therapies. The company is developing potential treatment for arthritic conditions using synthetic cannabidiol analogs and is also developing a treatment for ulcerative colitis in ex-smokers.

180’s lead platform, fibrosis & anti-TNF, with its lead clinical program in Phase 2b/3 stage, is led by Professor Sir Marc Feldmann (executive co-chairman of 180 Life Sciences), a renowned immunologist and pioneer of anti-TNF therapy, and Professor Jagdeep Nanchahal, who has pioneered the treatment of fibrosis of the hand (Dupuytren’s disease). The program is designed to address four critical areas of inflammation to treat: Dupuytren’s Disease, a hand deformity that afflicts about 5% of the population in the US and EU. 180 Life Sciences is conducting the largest clinical trials for Dupuytren’s Disease and is in the final stages of its phase 2b/3 human clinical trials for preventing Dupuytren’s finger and hand contracture before it becomes severe and permanent or requires surgery.

Frozen shoulder, which causes pain and range of motion loss affecting 9% of the population aged 25 to 64 year of age; currently the only treatment for early stage is local steroid injection for short-term relief. ATNF’s phase 2 clinical trials of a local injection of anti-TNF are planned for Q3 this year.

Fibrosis of the liver (NASH) commonly caused by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects an estimated 30% of the U.S. population.

Post-operative delirium/cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a serious postsurgical complication, and 180 has strong clinical evidence for anti-TNF as a preventative therapy.

Building the Next Blockbuster Drug

180’s scientists have discovered that during surgery, especially during emergency hip […]

Read more at www.marketwatch.com

New research suggests that the medication Sargramostim is effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trial participants saw memory-enhancing benefits and disease modifying activities when taking Sargramostim.

A new study suggests that Sargramostim, a medication often used to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments, is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This medication comprises of a natural human protein produced by recombinant DNA technology (yeast-derived rhu GM-CSF/Leukine®).

The study, from the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), presents evidence from their clinical trial that shows that Sargramostim may have both disease-modifying and cognition-enhancing activities in Alzheimer’s disease patients. It was published online today by Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions , an open access journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The goal of the clinical trial was to examine the impact of a natural human protein called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We tested GM-CSF because people with rheumatoid arthritis tend not to get Alzheimer’s disease and we had previously found this protein, which is increased in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis, reduced amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s mice and returned their poor memory to normal after a few weeks of treatment. Thus, naturally increased levels of GM-CSF in people with rheumatoid arthritis may be one reason that they are protected from Alzheimer’s disease,” said Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the CU Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, who together with Jonathan Woodcock, Timothy Boyd and collaborators carried out the new trial.

“Human GM-CSF is the active compound in the known human drug Sargramostim, and we are the first to study its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease.”

GM-CSF/Sargramostim is used to stimulate the bone marrow to make more white blood cells of a particular kind called macrophages and granulocytes, as well as progenitor cells that repair blood vessels. These white blood cells circulate throughout the body and remove cells, bacteria and amyloid deposits that aren’t supposed to be there, as well as promoting repair to damaged blood vessels and to the brain.

The researchers carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial to test the safety and efficacy of Sargramostim treatment in participants with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Study participants who met eligibility criteria were randomized to receive injections of either Sargramostim (20 participants took a standard FDA dosage 250 mcg/m2/day subcutaneous injection for five days a week for three weeks) or placebo (20 participants took saline for five days a week for three weeks). The majority of the participants from the study were recruited and treated at CU Anschutz with a few from the University of South Florida.

The CU Anschutz researchers then conducted and studied multiple neurological, neuropsychological, cell, cytokine, Alzheimer’s pathology biomarkers and neuroimaging assessments.

They found that short-term Sargramostim treatment increased innate and other immune cells, modulated cytokine measures, and was safe and well-tolerated by participants. They also found cognition memory improved by almost two points in the 30 point Mini-Mental State Exam. Measures of blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease – brain amyloid, tangles, and neurodegeneration – all improved toward normal.

“These results suggest that short-term Sargramostim treatment leads to innate immune system activation, cognition and memory improvement, and partial normalization of blood measures of amyloid and tau pathology and neuronal damage in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” said Potter.

“This surprising finding that stimulating the innate immune system and modulating inflammation may be a new treatment approach and induced us to start a larger trial of Sargramostim in Alzheimer’s disease with more participants treated over a longer time.”

Reference: 24 March 2021, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions .

This new trial will be funded by the Alzheimer’s Association/Part The Cloud, the University of Colorado, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and by a large grant recently awarded from the National Institute on Aging.

Read more at scitechdaily.com

Sargramostim (GM-CSF) is the first drug to show improvement in Alzheimer’s patients in a phase II clinical trial.

A new study suggests that Sargramostim, a medication often used to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments, is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This medication comprises of a natural human protein produced by recombinant DNA technology (yeast-derived rhu GM-CSF/Leukine ® ).

The study, from the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), presents evidence from their phase II clinical trial that shows that Sargramostim (GM-CSF) may have both disease-modifying and cognition-enhancing activities in Alzheimer’s disease patients. This evidence showcases GM-CSF is the first Alzheimer’s drug to show patient improvement in a phase II clinical trial. The study was published online today by Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, an open access journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The goal of the clinical trial was to examine the impact of a natural human protein called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We tested GM-CSF because people with rheumatoid arthritis tend not to get Alzheimer’s disease and we had previously found this protein, which is increased in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis, reduced amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s mice and returned their poor memory to normal after a few weeks of treatment. Thus, naturally increased levels of GM-CSF in people with rheumatoid arthritis may be one reason that they are protected from Alzheimer’s disease,” said Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the CU Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, who together with Jonathan Woodcock, Timothy Boyd and collaborators carried out the new trial.

“Human GM-CSF is the active compound in the known human drug Sargramostim, and we are the first to study its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease.”

Sargramostim (GM-CSF) is used to stimulate the bone marrow to make more white blood cells of a particular kind called macrophages and granulocytes, as well as progenitor cells that repair blood vessels. These white blood cells circulate throughout the body and remove cells, bacteria and amyloid deposits that aren’t supposed to be there, as well as promoting repair to damaged blood vessels and to the brain.

The researchers carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial to test the safety and efficacy of Sargramostim treatment in participants with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Study participants who met eligibility criteria were randomized to receive injections of either Sargramostim (20 participants took a standard FDA dosage 250 mcg/m 2 /day subcutaneous injection for five days a week for three weeks) or placebo (20 participants took saline for five days a week for three weeks). The majority of the participants from the study were recruited and treated at CU Anschutz with a few from the University of South Florida.

The CU Anschutz researchers then conducted and studied multiple neurological, neuropsychological, cell, cytokine, Alzheimer’s pathology biomarkers and neuroimaging assessments.

They found that short-term Sargramostim treatment increased innate and other immune cells, modulated cytokine measures, and was safe and well-tolerated by participants. They also found cognition memory improved by almost two points in the 30 point Mini-Mental State Exam, a widely used test of cognitive function among the elderly. Measures of blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease-brain amyloid, tangles, and neurodegeneration-all improved toward normal.

“These results suggest that short-term Sargramostim treatment leads to innate immune system activation, cognition and memory improvement, and partial normalization of blood measures of amyloid and tau pathology and neuronal damage in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” said Potter.

“This surprising finding that stimulating the innate immune system and modulating inflammation may be a new treatment approach and induced us to start a larger trial of Sargramostim in Alzheimer’s disease with more participants treated over a longer time.” This new trial will be funded by the Alzheimer’s Association/Part The Cloud, the University of Colorado, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and by a large grant recently awarded from the National Institute on Aging.

/Public Release. This material comes from the originating organization and may be of a point-in-time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. View in full here .

Read more at www.miragenews.com

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new study suggests that Sargramostim, a medication often used to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments, is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This medication comprises of a natural human protein produced by recombinant DNA technology (yeast-derived rhu GM-CSF/Leukine).

The study, from the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), presents evidence from their clinical trial that shows that Sargramostim may have both disease -modifying and cognition-enhancing activities in Alzheimer’s disease patients. It was published online today by Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions , an open access journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The goal of the clinical trial was to examine the impact of a natural human protein called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We tested GM-CSF because people with rheumatoid arthritis tend not to get Alzheimer’s disease and we had previously found this protein, which is increased in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis, reduced amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s mice and returned their poor memory to normal after a few weeks of treatment. Thus, naturally increased levels of GM-CSF in people with rheumatoid arthritis may be one reason that they are protected from Alzheimer’s disease,” said Huntington Potter, Ph.D., director of the CU Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, who together with Jonathan Woodcock, Timothy Boyd and collaborators carried out the new trial.

“Human GM-CSF is the active compound in the known human drug Sargramostim, and we are the first to study its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease.”

GM-CSF/Sargramostim is used to stimulate the bone marrow to make more white blood cells of a particular kind called macrophages and granulocytes, as well as progenitor cells that repair blood vessels. These white blood cells circulate throughout the body and remove cells, bacteria and amyloid deposits that aren’t supposed to be there, as well as promoting repair to damaged blood vessels and to the brain.

The researchers carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial to test the safety and efficacy of Sargramostim treatment in participants with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Study participants who met eligibility criteria were randomized to receive injections of either Sargramostim (20 participants took a standard FDA dosage 250 mcg/m 2 /day subcutaneous injection for five days a week for three weeks) or placebo (20 participants took saline for five days a week for three weeks). The majority of the participants from the study were recruited and treated at CU Anschutz with a few from the University of South Florida.

The CU Anschutz researchers then conducted and studied multiple neurological, neuropsychological, cell, cytokine, Alzheimer’s pathology biomarkers and neuroimaging assessments.

They found that short-term Sargramostim treatment increased innate and other immune cells , modulated cytokine measures, and was safe and well-tolerated by participants. They also found cognition memory improved by almost two points in the 30 point Mini-Mental State Exam. Measures of blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease—brain amyloid, tangles, and neurodegeneration—all improved toward normal.

“These results suggest that short-term Sargramostim treatment leads to innate immune system activation, cognition and memory improvement, and partial normalization of blood measures of amyloid and tau pathology and neuronal damage in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” said Potter.

“This surprising finding that stimulating the innate immune system and modulating inflammation may be a new treatment approach and induced us to start a larger trial of Sargramostim in Alzheimer’s disease with more participants treated over a longer time.”

More information: Huntington Potter et al. Safety and efficacy of sargramostim (GM‐CSF) in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (2021). DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12158

Provided by CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Read more at medicalxpress.com

A new study suggests that Sargramostim, a medication often used to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments, is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This medication comprises of a natural human protein produced by recombinant DNA technology (yeast-derived rhu GM-CSF/Leukine®).

The study, from the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), presents evidence from their clinical trial that shows that Sargramostim may have both disease-modifying and cognition-enhancing activities in Alzheimer’s disease patients. It was published online today by Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions , an open access journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“The goal of the clinical trial was to examine the impact of a natural human protein called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on people living with Alzheimer’s disease. We tested GM-CSF because people with rheumatoid arthritis tend not to get Alzheimer’s disease and we had previously found this protein, which is increased in the blood of people with rheumatoid arthritis, reduced amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s mice and returned their poor memory to normal after a few weeks of treatment. Thus, naturally increased levels of GM-CSF in people with rheumatoid arthritis may be one reason that they are protected from Alzheimer’s disease,” said Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the CU Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, who together with Jonathan Woodcock, Timothy Boyd and collaborators carried out the new trial.

“Human GM-CSF is the active compound in the known human drug Sargramostim, and we are the first to study its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease.”

GM-CSF/Sargramostim is used to stimulate the bone marrow to make more white blood cells of a particular kind called macrophages and granulocytes, as well as progenitor cells that repair blood vessels. These white blood cells circulate throughout the body and remove cells, bacteria and amyloid deposits that aren’t supposed to be there, as well as promoting repair to damaged blood vessels and to the brain.

The researchers carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial to test the safety and efficacy of Sargramostim treatment in participants with mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Study participants who met eligibility criteria were randomized to receive injections of either Sargramostim (20 participants took a standard FDA dosage 250 mcg/m2/day subcutaneous injection for five days a week for three weeks) or placebo (20 participants took saline for five days a week for three weeks). The majority of the participants from the study were recruited and treated at CU Anschutz with a few from the University of South Florida.

The CU Anschutz researchers then conducted and studied multiple neurological, neuropsychological, cell, cytokine, Alzheimer’s pathology biomarkers and neuroimaging assessments.

They found that short-term Sargramostim treatment increased innate and other immune cells, modulated cytokine measures, and was safe and well-tolerated by participants. They also found cognition memory improved by almost two points in the 30 point Mini-Mental State Exam. Measures of blood biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease–brain amyloid, tangles, and neurodegeneration–all improved toward normal.

“These results suggest that short-term Sargramostim treatment leads to innate immune system activation, cognition and memory improvement, and partial normalization of blood measures of amyloid and tau pathology and neuronal damage in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease,” said Potter.

“This surprising finding that stimulating the innate immune system and modulating inflammation may be a new treatment approach and induced us to start a larger trial of Sargramostim in Alzheimer’s disease with more participants treated over a longer time.”

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This new trial will be funded by the Alzheimer’s Association/Part The Cloud, the University of Colorado, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and by a large grant recently awarded from the National Institute on Aging.

About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education, and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals that treat more than two million adult and pediatric patients each year. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, together we deliver life-changing treatments, patient care, professional training, and conduct world-renowned research. For more information, visit http://www.cuanschutz.edu .

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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( Natural News ) Many people who survive a bout of Wuhan coronavirus infection experience complications that affect their brain function , according to a recent study. A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology examined the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the brain and the possible short- and long-term mental health issues surviving patients face. The paper was the result of efforts by both psychology and psychiatry researchers who looked at existing published studies and their findings.

The researchers found that COVID-19 survivors reported a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions in the short term. One study found that 95 percent of clinically stable COVID-19 patients had post-traumatic stress disorder. Other studies reported 17 percent to 42 percent of patients experiencing affective disorders such as depression. Meanwhile, 45 percent of patients reported impaired attention in the short-term, while 13 to 28 percent of patients experience short-term memory impairment.

Affective disorders and fatigue were the long-term neuropsychiatric problems recorded in most COVID-19 patients. Forty-four percent of patients reported impaired attention, while 28 percent to 50 percent of patients said they experienced impaired memory.

Study author Sanjay Kumar said in a statement: “Understanding the neuropsychiatric and cognitive consequences of COVID-19 is important, as millions of people have been affected by the virus, and many cases of undetected. The Oxford Brookes University psychology senior lecturer warned that “even [if] just a fraction of patients experience neuropsychiatric complications, the impact of public health services could be significant.”

Experts have said there is a likely spike in the number of patients with psychiatric and cognitive problems who did not have these conditions prior to contracting COVID-19. Kumar said these problems “affect people’s capacity to work effectively, drive, manage finance, make informed decisions and participate in daily family activities.”

The senior lecturer suggested the use of detailed cognitive evaluation and robust patient monitoring to detect new neurological cases. “This will also enable healthcare providers to plan adequate health care and resources, and improve the quality of life for many COVID-19 survivors,” Kumar added. Based on previous studies, the Wuhan coronavirus also impacts mental health

Kumar and his colleagues noted in their paper that emerging evidence has pointed to COVID-19 patients reporting headache, altered consciousness and paresthesia – a tingling sensation on the skin. They also commented that an autopsy on a patient who died of the illness found swollen brain tissue and damaged neurons. The researchers remarked that the findings taken together shows the virus can play a possible role in causing long-term neurological and psychological problems by damaging the nervous system. (Related: Coronavirus found to have the ability to infect brain cells, says research .)

Kumar’s team postulated two possible reasons for the brain issues experienced by patients. First, they proposed that the symptoms can be due to the Wuhan coronavirus modifying brain functions after infection. This change can lead to more serious brain problems and hasten the development of psychological issues.

Second, they proposed that the neuropsychiatric symptoms and disorders are the psychological reactions of undergoing medical treatment following Wuhan coronavirus infection.

Nevertheless, they commented that a careful study of history and standardized neuropsychological tests can help clarify if patients’ brain problems are caused by COVID-19 affecting brain function or a reaction to medical treatment for the disease.

In some cases, COVID-19 infections have caused inflammation that eventually led to brain cell death and brain bleeding. British paper The Mirror reported that the Wuhan coronavirus resulted to neurological complications in some patients. One Florida man in his 70s lost the ability to speak for a short period following multiple seizures. Meanwhile, a 58-year-old Detroit woman who was “confused and disoriented” suffered significant neurological damage. A CT scan of her brain revealed dark spots, which indicated either a build-up of fluid or substantial loss of brain cells. (Related: Coronavirus harms the brain and nervous system of one in three patients .)

Ultimately, Kumar and his fellow researchers emphasized the importance of detecting and preventing these neuropsychiatric and cognitive problems at the soonest. They exhorted health services and governments worldwide to focus on addressing this possible “third wave” of the pandemic in the long term.

Mental.news has more on how the Wuhan coronavirus impacts brain function.

Sources include:

Mirror.co.uk

Read more at www.naturalnews.com