Letrozole and irinotecan reverse Alzheimer's disease brain damage in mice
Technology
Two existing cancer drugs, letrozole (for breast cancer) and irinotecan (for colon cancer), just surprised scientists by reversing Alzheimer's disease-related brain damage in mice.
Researchers used gene analysis tools to find these medications, and saw that treated mice had fewer harmful tau protein clumps and actually did better on memory tests.
Combination potential but untested in humans
Letrozole and irinotecan target different brain cells, so using them together could tackle Alzheimer's disease from multiple angles.
But heads up: these results are only from mouse studies so far, and more safety checks are needed before trying this in people.
With more than 55 million people affected by Alzheimer's worldwide, new treatment ideas like this bring some much-needed hope.