Mad cow disease advance
SCIENTISTS have reversed "mad cow disease" symptoms in mice, raising hopes of similar treatment for humans.
The Medical Research Council team rid the rodents of memory and behavioural problems linked to the cattle disease BSE and its human equivalent, variant CJD.
VCJD and other "spongiform encephalopathy" diseases are associated with an accumulation of rogue prion proteins in the brain.
Rogue prions change shape and appear to cause serious damage to the brain, creating holes and turning it "spongy". As they convert more and more normal prions into the mutant form, the disease spreads.
The MRC scientists, led by Dr Giovanna Mallucci, halted this process by switching off production of normal protein.
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Thursday 16 February 2012
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