| This is a look at a small but fascinating | | | | play a role. Diseases such as psoriasis and |
| study investigating a new treatment for | | | | Crohn's disease in addition to rheumatoid |
| Alzheimer's disease.Brains in Alzheimer's | | | | arthritis are examples of diseases that |
| disease are damaged by long term inflammation | | | | etanercept is used. |
| of the brain. The progressive deterioration | | | | |
| in memory and ability to perform tasks that | | | | A recent fascinating study from The |
| must have a functioning memory take their | | | | Department of Neurology, USC School of |
| gradual toll on these patients and their | | | | Medicine used injections of |
| families. Several million Americans are | | | | etanercept(Enbrel) in the posterior neck. |
| expected to be develop Alzheimer's disease in | | | | This location of injection was used to |
| the coming decades. Effective treatments are | | | | improve delivery of the drug into the brain, |
| currently poor and ineffective, so new | | | | where it was hoped that its anti-inflammatory |
| treatments are crucial for the patients and | | | | activity would take effect. The study |
| their families. | | | | included 15 patients who were injected weekly |
| | | | for six months. Posterior neck injection of |
| Alzheimer's disease is a demntia resulting | | | | etanercept led to sustained cognitive |
| from inflammation and damagein the brain. The | | | | improvement for these patients with |
| damage and inflammation occur due to a | | | | Alzheimer's disease which ranged from mild to |
| variety of chemicals that the human body | | | | severe. Other recent studies have also |
| produces for other purposes. One specific | | | | supported the idea that TNF plays a major |
| chemical called TNF-alpha is thought to be a | | | | part in the brain inflammation of Alzheimer's |
| main cause of brain inflammation that occurs | | | | disease. |
| in Alzheimer's disease. TNF-alpha is a | | | | |
| protein molecule made by white blood cells | | | | The study authors from Department of |
| which stimulates and activates the immune | | | | Neurology, USC School of Medicine noted an |
| system in response to cancer or some | | | | unexpected and dramatic clinical result |
| infections. Too much of this TNF-alpha | | | | (which recurred in the majority of the |
| compound is believed to lead to immune system | | | | patients that were treated with etanercept ). |
| diseases wherein the immune system attacks | | | | The dramatic but repeatedly observed response |
| healthy tissues, suchas joints(rheumatoid | | | | was a noticeable improvement within minutes |
| arthritis) or skin(psoriasis). The newest | | | | of perispinal etanercept injection. The rapid |
| treatments for these diseases make use of | | | | clinical improvement in memory and symptoms |
| drugs that stopTNF alpha activity, thereby | | | | required the authors of the study to add new |
| reducing undesirable inflammation. | | | | testing procedures to their protocol-so that |
| | | | they could measure the improvements. |
| Since 1998 etanercept(aka Enbrel), a potent | | | | |
| TNF blocking drug has been approved for | | | | A case report of an elderly 81 year old man |
| human use, for rheumatoid arthritis as the | | | | describes markedimprovement within 2 hours. |
| first official accepted indication. | | | | The improvement included the ability |
| Etanercept is now being used for a numerous | | | | toremember interview details, improvement in |
| other diseases that involve excesss TNF | | | | ability to do simple calculations, ability to |
| activity. Etanercept hooks on to TNF-alpha | | | | be better oriented to where he was and what |
| and stops TNF-alpha receptors on many cell | | | | time it was. The man continued to show the |
| surfaces. This blocking effect reduces the | | | | improved level of brain function including |
| inflammatory effects of excess TNF-alpha. | | | | memory and performance of tasks throughout |
| Researchers and physicians currently have | | | | the duration study and in a 14 day follow up |
| extensive experience using etanercept to | | | | period. Family members of the elderly |
| treat a variety of inflammatory disorders | | | | patient also reported that they had noticed |
| where TNF-alpha over activity is believed to | | | | improvement in the patient while at home. |