by Common cough medicine can slow down the cognitive decline in people with Parkinson’s disease diseases, according to a clinical study.
A 12-month study carried out by Lawson Research Institute researchers showed that ambroxol has contributed to stabilizing psychiatric symptoms, improving cognitive function and protecting from brain damage in genetically endangered participants from brain damage.
Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) causes symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, hallucinations and mood changes. About 153,000 people in Great Britain live with Parkinson’s disease.
There is currently no healing for PDD, but patients can take medication that are called cholinesterase inhibitors to treat the symptoms.
Parkinson’s dementia symptoms
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Difficulties to focus
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Difficulties to make decisions
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Memory loss and forgetfulness
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Difficulties to stay awake
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Disturbed sleep
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Visual hallucinations
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Delusions
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Changes in appetite
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Changes of mood such as depression, anxiety and apathy
What did the study find?
The study published in Jama Neurology comprised 55 participants with Parkinson’s dementia (PDD), who monitor their memory, psychiatric symptoms and GFAP, a blood marker connected to brain damage.
It found that the GFAP was increasing in the placebo group, but for participants who were taking ambroxol remained stable.
Dementia symptoms in the placebo group also deteriorated, but not for those to ambroxol.
The participants also showed an improved cognitive performance at AMBORROND.
“People who received placebo showed a clinically meaningful deterioration in neuropsychiatric symptoms, while those who received ambroxol remained stable,” the scientists wrote.
“Ambroxol was sure, well tolerated and showed the goal” commitment “, the researchers wrote.” However, the effect of ambroxol on perception was not confirmed. “
How could ambroxol affect Parkinson’s?
Ambroxol increases an enzyme called Gcase, which gives away waste products that accumulate in brain cells.
The enzyme often lacks Parkinson’s patients, which means that waste has built up in brain cells, including an unwanted protein called Alpha-Synuclein.
It is believed that ambroxol can help the body reduce this waste and prevent brain damage.
Ambroxol was first viewed as a potential Parkinson’s treatment in 2009.
In 2020, an attempt financed by Cure Parkinson’s and his partners showed that Ambroxol was able to reach the part of the brain, the gases stimulated and was safe for people with Parkinson’s.
“These results indicate that ambroxol can protect the brain function, especially in genetically endangered, a promising new treatment road in which there are currently only a few,” said Dr. Stephen Pasternak, the main author of the study.
“This research is of crucial importance because Dementia of Parkinson’s patients and families deeply affects,” he said.
Pasternak continues to examine whether Ambroxol can help people suffer from Parkinson’s dementia, with the plans to start a clinical follow-up study that focuses specifically on perception, later this year.
“If a medication like ambroxol can help, it could offer real hope and improve life.”
