Peptides could help

Down’s syndrome is generally believed to be incurable, but recent research
suggests that it may be possible to prevent the learning deficits associated
with it. Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development, in the US, gave adult mice with Down’s syndrome a peptide
treatment. Afterwards they were able to navigate a water maze as easily as a
control group and better than untreated mice. However, after the peptide
treatment stopped, the mice reverted to the untreated level. “[One of the
peptides] has already gone through all the toxicology studies and is in phase II
clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr Catherine Spong, the lead
researcher. “The hope would be that potentially this would have application in
other things as well.” Her team’s results are preliminary and have yet to be
published in a peer-reviewed journal. ~ MedPage Today, Feb 4

Down syndrome

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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