[Ylide]

Some study showed that the 100 year old drug clioquinol (used as an anti-fungal, i believe) can prevent the accumulation of copper and zinc in the brain, halting the progress of dementia.  

Apparently, they believe that these metals bond with a certain protein in the brain and converts oxygen to hydrogen peroxide, which is toxic to brain cells.  I'm not sure of the mechanism of how this works, nor how the drug works...maybe one of the medical types can explain?

[chris]

This suggestion is based on a paper published in December 2003 in Archives of Neurology (Arch Neurol. 2003;60:1678-1679, 1685-1691).

In this paper, which documents a phase II trial of the agent, 36 Alzheimer's patients with moderately severe symptoms were randomised to receive either clioquinol or a placebo. Cognitive scores and blood levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer's, beta-amyloid, were followed up over the next 36 weeks.

The results showed a reduction in beta-amyloid and an arrest in cognitive decline amongst the patients receiving the active treatment, compared with a continued decline amongst the placebo group.

Clioquinol works by blocking the binding of zinc and copper to beta-amyloid, thereby preventing its aggregation.

This summary provides a more thorough overview:

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Chris