UTHSC researchers safe $308,000 grant from Division of Protection for dementia examine

Repeated traumatic mind accidents (TBI) in troopers and army personnel could cause behavioral, neurological, and cognitive results and result in dementia. There may be at present no therapy for that kind of dementia, however a $308,000 grant from america Division of Protection goals to assist researchers on the College of Tennessee Well being Science Heart discover one.

TBI can result in the event of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a progressive course of marked by atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes. FTD is likely one of the most typical causes of dementia in individuals underneath the age of 65.

Principal investigator Mohammad Moshahid Khan, PhD, affiliate professor within the Division of Neurology, and co-investigator Tayebeh Pourmotabbed, PhD, professor within the Division of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, are engaged on a venture to search out the primary therapeutic intervention to stop frontotemporal dementia or sluggish its development in a mouse mannequin linked with the situation.

The workforce is aiming to make use of a novel gene remedy referred to as DNAzymes to focus on pathological tau aggregates, which trigger frontotemporal dementia and its ensuing cognitive impairment and progressive neuropathological signs. The workforce is analyzing the efficient dose, frequency, and period of therapy in addition to its potential in lowering neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits in mice.

Our preliminary knowledge recommend that DNAzyme is a novel therapeutic strategy and has an excellent potential for stopping the buildup of pathological tau. The outcomes of this proposal could be foundational for future research analyzing the medical use of DNAzyme for different neurological illnesses related to traumatic mind damage and different tauopathies.”

Dr. Mohammad Moshahid Khan, PhD, affiliate professor within the Division of Neurology

“DNAzyme is a strong gene remedy approach that can be utilized to stop manufacturing of proteins related to illnesses, like tau protein in Alzheimer’s illness and dementia,” Dr. Pourmotabbed mentioned. “We’ve used DNAzyme as a possible remedy for breast most cancers, glioma, and Huntington’s illness in preclinical animal fashions with nice success. Hopefully, with using DNAzyme expertise, we might be capable of cut back the danger of dementia after traumatic mind damage in veterans and different people that cope with this debilitating illness.”

Supply:

College of Tennessee Well being Science Heart