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As many will know by now, an FDA briefing panel July 15 recommended against approval of Vivus’ (VVUS) obesity drug candidate Qnexa by a vote of 10 to 6. This was originally announced as a vote of 9 to 7, but a new electronic voting system was in use, and it must have been a little confusing, because one panelist later claimed that they had unintentionally voted "Yes" for approval instead of "No" against. (Insert "Jim, I’m a doctor, not an electronic voter!" joke here.)

The main concerns cited about Qnexa were:

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The research involved two groups of mice being fed two different diets over the course of 5 months. A precious study had shown that foods rich in methionine – an amino acid – were able to increase the symptoms of dementia within mice, and as a result scientists deduced that it may be effective in the increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

The most recent study sought then to determine if the methionine induced effects could be counteracted and even reversed. For 3 months one group of mice was fed a methionine filled diet, whilst the other group ate a healthy, balanced diet. The mice on the methionine diet were then introduced to a healthy menu, and the results were analysed after another 2 months.

The scientists found that the negative effects suffered following the 3 month period eating the amino acid had been reversed. The discovery demonstrated the capability of the brain to counteract the damaging effects it has endured. However, the study is far from conclusive, not least due to the fact that the test subjects were mice. There is uncertainty regarding the applicability of such results to humans.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research Trust commented on the findings, reminding us that:

“This research is on mice, but the Alzheimer’s Trust is supporting work looking at the effects of this type of diet on people. We look forward to the results but at the moment we don’t yet know if this type of diet could have beneficial effects for people with Alzheimer’s.”

Health insurance comparison site Quoteboffin.co.uk (http://quoteboffin.co.uk/) have given their backing to the research findings, insisting that:

“Any investigation into the causes and potential treatments for this disease are crucial, as research is the main tool we have in the battle against Alzheimer’s.”

Another piece of research carried out recently, revealed that people with larger craniums possess better cognitive abilities, including memory and thinking skills. 270 patients were recruited for the trials, the results of which were published in the Neurology journal.

The research demonstrated that comparatively larger brains possess more neurons and, as a result, more connections between the neurons. The patients, all suffering from the same level of Alzheimer’s disease, took part in various memory tests which were analysed by scientists. They found that for every 1% of brain cell death, an additional centimetre of head size was linked with a 6% greater score on such tests.

While it has been shown that the brain is 93% formed by the age of 6, scientists involved in the study believed that Alzheimer’s prevention should be geared towards the preschool age group. This was an opinion shared by Quoteboffin.co.uk (http://quoteboffin.co.uk/), who believe that the earlier an awareness of dementia is instilled in society, the better our outlook for future generations will be.

Although genetics play a major role, external factors such as nutrition, central nervous system infections and brain damage early in life also have an effect on the future development of dementia and Alzheimer’s. As such, it is believed that improvements in pre-natal and early life conditions may significantly increase brain cell reserves.

Speaking about this study, the Alzheimer’s Research Trust warned that it was dangerous to focus too much attention on one factor in the fight against the disease. Head of Research for the organisation Dr Simon Ridley, commented that:

“…too much focus should not be placed on a single risk factor, as Alzheimer’s was a very complex disease…”

About QuoteBoffin

Quoteboffin.co.uk is an online insurance comparison website offering life insurance comparison tools that allow users to search the market and procure the best life insurance policies and quotes.

QuoteBoffin.co.uk was launched in February 2010 and is a trading style of David and Co Consultants Limited.

Contact:

QuoteBoffin.co.uk
MMT Centre
Severn Bridge
Aust
Bristol
BS35 4BL
email: enquiries@quoteboffin.co.uk – QueryClick Ltd 14-07-2010

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