dementia. memory

Common psychiatric drugs could slow dementia

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Researchers say commonly used psychiatric drugs could be effective in slowing the progression of certain types of dementia.

Dr John Kwok and colleagues from Neuroscience Research Australia have discovered a mutant gene that causes abnormal proteins to build up in the brains of people with frontotemporal dementia, a disease that affects people in their 50s and 60s.

Common psychiatric drugs, such as haloperidol, used to treat schizophrenia, are known to act on this gene.

“Our hope is that these drugs will slow the progression of the disease,” says Dr Kwok. [continue reading…]