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Tag: Taipei Medical University

TMU’s research indicates hope for Alzheimer’s treatment

Posted on by Taipei Medical University
The global Alzheimer’s population continues to rise rapidly. The Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association estimates that one out of every 80 people has dementia in Taiwan. According to the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), the global Alzheimer’s population will grow up to 152 million people by 2050. This means that there will be one person suffering from Alzheimer’s in every 3 seconds; no effective medicine has been found in current.
A research team comprising members from Taipei Medical University (TMU), the National Health Research Institutes and the Tri-Service General Hospital has found that immune chemokines (CCL5) can regulate the activity of hippocampal neurons in mice to improve the memory circuits formation, as well as learning and memory ability. This research was recently published in the top neuroscience journal, Molecular Psychiatry, under the world-renowned Nature series.
 
Associate Professor Szu-Yi Chou from the Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine at TMU pointed out that 90% of the CCL5 is expressed by neurons in the hippocampal gyrus, where there is a response for memory formation. The study found that CCL5 greatly affects the aerobic metabolism in neurons and contributes to memory-cognition performance in mice. This suggests that CCL5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of neuronal energy and affects the immediate energy supply during the process of memory formation.
Associate Professor Szu-Yi Chou reiterated that direct use of immune chemokines for treatment may bring high risks and is therefore not the best solution. Future research mainly further identifies applicable drugs that are based on the mechanism, such as finding safe drugs that can increase the function of CCL5 in order to achieve the effect of improving learning and memory.

Head Trauma: Towards a new treatment

Posted on by Taipei Medical University

An international collaboration (NeuroTMULille international laboratory) between Taipei Medical University (Ouada Nebie, Thierry Burnouf) and Lille Neuroscience & Cognition (David Blum, David Devos, Luc Buée) just published in the journal “Brain” that the complex pathological consequences of TBI can be alleviated by the delivery of a Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) specifically formulated for brain administration.

The published work demonstrated that HPL improved motor function, mitigated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the injured cortical area and reduced synaptic alterations in two mouse models of TBI. “This platelet biotherapy would represent a treatment addressing the multiple physio-pathological causes of TBI and avoid progression towards neurodegenerative processes” David Blum commented on the findings.

HPL are composed of a balanced composition of protective neurotrophic factors with the capacity to activate multiple biological protective pathways and represent a novel therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine. They are prepared from platelet concentrates collected by whole blood donations or apheresis procedures from healthy donors. Platelet concentrates, the source of the human platelet lysates, are essential medicine according to the WHO, and are available worldwide, meeting stringent quality and safety criteria in many countries.

“Our results suggest the importance of a careful formulation of human platelet lysates to ensure optimal safety and efficacy for brain administration. The potential, yet to be confirmed in humans, to deliver this product by the intranasal route opens extremely exciting prospects in the treatment of neurological diseases,” commented Thierry Burnouf.

“The potential, yet to be confirmed in humans, to deliver this product by the intranasal route opens extremely exciting prospects in the treatment of a range of brain neurological diseases. It is now vital to move into further pre-clinical assessment and carefully controlled and monitored clinical studies, ” added Thierry Burnouf.

TMU reaches out to the local communities

Posted on by Taipei Medical University

Taipei Medical University(TMU) links arts with community care to promote good practice in enhancing health of the elderly in the local communities.

In collaboration with Chiayi County Health Bureau in southern Taiwan, the TMU Center
for Arts and Humanities once again took its health empowerment program to southwestern
Taiwan with a series of activities including handicraft courses, puzzle games
and qigong courses for the elderly in Chiayi County.

Integrating learning of knowledge and visitation to galleries and museums, the community care helps improve the elderly’s quality of life through immersion in artifacts. In doing so, the idea of “localizing the artistic culture, aestheticizing the community medical care” is brought alive.

The significance of active ageing is to “activate” the vitality, the meaningful living, the wisdom of the elderly, and the solutions for an ageing society through the high-quality services for the elderly with singing, dining and
living together of fun.

 Apart from paying attention to one’s own physical health under the pandemic, companionship and mental health are of importance to keep one from panic or anxiety while the social distancing policy is being widely implemented.

 For that reason, Taipei Medical University Active Aging Center has been offering group courses such as gong sound healing and body structural realignment to communities since October 2020, bringing much-appreciated color into the daily life of senior citizens in the neighbourhood.