Alzheimer’s: can a glutamate modulator reverse gene expression changes?

Researchers from Rockefeller University (NY, USA) have demonstrated that the glutamate modulator riluzole may reverse key genetic changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cognitive decline. The drug increases expression of glutamate transporters in the hippocampus and was demonstrated to prevent age-related memory loss in rats, indicating that it might have a use in the treatment of AD and cognitive decline. Cells in the hippocampus have previously been highlighted as vulnerable to the effects of aging, which are accelerated in AD and other disorders associated with cognitive decline. This knowledge led the researchers to examine the potential of riluzole, a...