Nerve Growth Factor For Alzheimer's Disease

    Nerve growth factor,abbreviated as NGF, is found naturally in the brain, where it protects brains cells [129]. Nerve growth factor may be inactivated by amyloid beta protein [130]. Therefore, attempts have been made to treat alzheimer patients with nerve growth factor.
    Nerve growth factor, infused into the brain of one alzheimer patient seemed to mildly stimulate cognitive ability [131]. Another study infused nerve growth factor into the brains of 3 alzheimer patients. No patient showed cognitive improvement. In addition,diffuse back pain and pronounced weight loss were adverse effects seen [132].

    Gene therapy, using NGF, is currently in clinical trial at the University of California,San Diego. Neurologist Mark H. Tuszynski, M.D., Ph.D., and his team on April 5, 2001, surgically implanted NGF-producing cells into the brain of a 60 -year- old woman with early stage alzheimer's disease. Previous work with monkeys has shown that the implantation of genetically-engineered cells increases the survival of brain cells in primates by producing nerve growth factor after implantation.

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