Preclinical and Clinical Projects in Need of Funding

Preclinical Research (Click here to learn more) is critical for screening of new drugs and new targets. Right now the pharmaceutical industry is only focussing on old target which have shown poor outcomes in trials. Our focus is mainly on drugs and supplements with strong safety records and new targets, particularly those correcting dysregulation of neuroinflammation. Another critical aspect of our research is cocktails , since many people trying to treat or prevent Alzheimer's are on several drugs and supplements which may impact progression. We are also exploring the effects of exercise. Finally we are focussing now on end stage neurodegeneration caused by tau. Since there is considerable damage already before onset of symptoms, it is important to target both early and late stage events in pathogenesis. Further restablishing proper neural circuits is a major obstacle, suggesting the need for rehabilitative strategies, such as exercise which can greatly impact brain function as well as cognitive therapy.

Clinical Research: After twenty years of preclinical research we have finally begun to perform clinical trials, first the yoga & curcumin trial to assess effects in subjects with mild cognitive deficits, and before the onset of Alzheimers. We will examine the combination of curcumin and yoga. These projects command a large clinical and basic research staff including coordinators, neuropsych technicians, exercise teachers, and the statisticians.

Donation to Specific Projects:

We would appreciate any amount you may be able to donate.

Preclinical Research: We need animals for testing of drugs. Our animals have human Alzheimer genes that allow manifestations of some aspects of the disease and they display mild cognitive deficits equivalent to us not knowing where we parked our car and where they keys are. Our animals are heatlhy and taken care of and watched by several veterinarians, with enriched environment (toys) and aged out to ages that they would not be able to survive in the wild. We and the veterianarians observe animals daily to ensure they are happy and have no health conditions such as dermatitis or pain. We promptly treat the mice if they have any health conditions. The most stressful thing that our animals experience is that for 10 days at about 4 minutes per day, we make them swim in a circular tank to find an invisbile platform. Mice and Rats typically don't like to swim so they escape to the platform. This tests spatial memory that requires a brain region called the hippocampus, a major aspect of Alzheimer's. Mice or rats that don't find the platform quickly manifest impaired spatial memory, so if a diet fails to correct this memory then it is unlikely to succeed in the clinic. The cost of animal care is high but not as high as the clinical trials. ,We need to do these preclinical studies to test safe new targets and the appropriate dose extrapolated to humans, or we can't find a treatment that works in humans.
Curcumin effect on biomarkers in healthy subjects. In animal models we know that, althought curcumin has a wide range of efficacy, high curcumin can be effective at some Alzheimer's targets, but suppress 'good inflammation' needed to clear toxic debris and low dose may not be effective, but it is critical to know the corresponding dose in humans. Once we know this, we will start testing for effects in other diseases, specifically traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Donations will pay for salaries of a clinical fellow and kits to measure inflammatory cytokines and relevant plasma markers that refect disease severity. $100,000
Fisetin and DHA effect on plasma biomarkers in subjects at risk for Alzheimers Typically people who have or want to prevent Alzheimer's end up taking several medications and dietary supplement. In fact we don't know which combination antagonize each other or which synergize. We already have strong data showing that Fisetin and DHA work better togethery than each alone. We have to now test this in patients. We need salary for clinical and research staff to conduct this work as well as the necessary tools to measure biochemical changes. $200,000
Fisetin and DHA effect on neuroimaging (FDG PET and MRI) in subjects at risk for Alzheimers. Neuroimaging is costly, but it is critical to measure anatomical and metabolic changes in progression in people, which will expedite assessing of drugs or supplements likely to be effective. Drug associated benefits in metabolic, biochemical and pathology are likely to precede benefits in cognition. IF we can shorten trials and increase robustness of drug effects, this allows us to reduce sample size for the study. Right now it cost about $20,000,000.00 to test one drug and one dose do a prevention trial, because they take so long (8 years). Women are at risk particullary if they have an ApoE4 allele (the main risk factor for Alzheimer's), and these trials are not even powered to effectively assess these variations in response. Different people may respond differently, which is why we need shorter trials and better markers. One cannot rely on cognitive changes in short trials because of placebo effect which lasts up to 6 months. Donations will cover some costs of neuroimaging and necessary staff to analyze it. $100,000
   
Preclinical Research:> Examine mitochondrial defects in tau models and impact of the mitochondrial antioxidant PQQ $100,000
Preclinical Research:Screen dietary and OTC drugs in tau Tg Drosophila $40,000
Preclinical Research:Examine dietary cocktails in aging tau transgenic mice $40,000/per cocktail
Preclinical Research:. Support benefits and salary continuing or new Postdoctoral fellow or senior technicians $75,000/person
Light Microscope+camera _ computer $85,000

Please Donate

To Give By Check

Send your check made payable to:
UCLA Foundation:

To avoid transfer to general funds

Write Alzheimer's Translational and Neuroinflammation Lab
or Cole Frautschy Lab
c/o Dr. Luba Skoropad
Department of Neurology Finance Office
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
710 Westwood Plaza, C-231 RNRC
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769

If you wish to donate ONLINE choose Alzheimer Program under comment box, and please Specify Alzheimer's Translational and Neuroinflammation Lab or Cole Frautschy Lab Specify which project above to which you would like to contribute; and whether you want us to thank you on our website or if this donation is anonymous.

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