Arthritis drug (TNF antagonist) shown to slow Alzheimer's down

A small randomised control study at the University of Southampton
tested the drug Etanercept on patients with mild to moderate
Alzheimer's.
Forty-one participants were either given the drug or a placebo every
week for six months. They were then assessed for memory function,
efficiency of day-to-day activities and behaviour.
Results showed that patients who were given Etanercept did not get
any worse during the six month follow up compared to those on the
placebo, who did decline.
Etanercept works by blocking the effects of a protein in the blood
called TNFα which is released by blood cells as part on the body's
inflammatory response. Professor Holmes' group has already shown that
people with Alzheimer's that have high levels of active TNFα in their
blood do worse than those who have very low levels. Etanercept acts to
markedly reduce the active levels of TNFα. 

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