Liver, not brain, a source of Alzheimer's

This finding suggested that significant concentrations of beta amyloid might originate in the liver, circulate in the blood, and enter the brain.

If true, blocking production of beta amyloid in the liver should protect the brain.

To test this hypothesis, Sutcliffe's team set up an in vivo experiment using wild-type mice.

"We reasoned that if brain amyloid was being born in the liver and transported to the brain by the blood, then that should be the case in all mice and one would predict in humans, too," said Sutcliffe.

The mice were administered imatinib (trade name Gleevec), a relatively new drug currently approved for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal tumours.

The drug potently reduces the production of beta amyloid in neuroblastoma cells.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Liver-not-brain-a-source-of-Alzheimers/articleshow/7626085.cms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imatinib