Treat Alzheimer's with nano gold particles

Chemists in Chile and Spain have developed a new technique that can stop or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease - dementia. Especially, this technique does not damage healthy brain cells.

Normal neurons (right) and nerve cells with blue amyloid residues (located outside and around nerve cells).

The team attached nanometer-sized gold particles to a small amount of beta amyloid in the test tube.

The beta amyloid residue is a combination of proteins that are thought to contribute to memory impairment in Alzheimer's patients.

Next, they incubated the mixture for several days and exposed it to a weak microwave field for hours.

The energy level of the microwave field is 6 times smaller than a normal cell phone, so it does not harm healthy cells. As a result, beta amyloid residues are dissolved.

This solubility lasts at least a week. This suggests that the technique not only breaks down beta amyloid residues, but also makes these proteins recombine more slowly.

According to research leader Marcelo J. Kogan of the University of Chile, this technique has the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Hungtington's paralysis. It is similar to the technique of using nanoscale metal particles to label and destroy cancer cells.

Currently the research team is preparing to conduct experiments in animals.

Minh Son