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Published Date: 01 February 2007
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.



The full article contains 115 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 31 January 2007 10:38 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: BSE and CJD
 
1

Josef Hlasny,

Czech Republic 01/02/2007 07:42:51

Authors of this article wrote (see the Abstract in “Neuron”); “Early functional impairments precede neuronal loss in prion disease…they occur before extensive PrPSc deposits accumulate…supporting the concept that they are caused by a transient neurotoxic species, distinct from aggregated PrPSc .“ This can be in connection that the story of BSE in Britain is a consequence of „intensive farming“ (metabolic disease and „neurotoxicity“) and belongs in the „Organic Research“ (http://organicresearcher.wordpress.com/2007/01/06/bse-an-...). So, I described an alternative "BSE ammonia-magnesium" theory (http://www.agriworld.nl/feedmix/headlines.asp?issue=3). See also www.bse-expert.cz and my "opinion- article"; about the link between BSE and Alzheimer´s disease (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/youropinions.php?opinioni...). This theory is based on the chronic Mg-deficiency- potentiated by hyperammonemia (high protein intake…).

2

stonymouse,

Cymru 01/02/2007 09:17:51

When will these incompetent scientists wake up and realise that mice are not even close to comparable physiologically or biologically to humans? These tests prove that mice may have a varient (and that is an important word) of vCJD that can be reversed, but it cannot safely, and adequately, be extrapolated to humans. It is like testing car with wheels, and selling itto the public without wheels. Ridiculous. History and medical progress is against this kind of nonsense. With cell and tissue cultures, analytical technology, molecular research, post mortem studies, computer modelling, epidemiology (population studies), ethical clinical research with volunteer patients and healthy subjects, and the use of microbes such as bacteria, more readily available at a fraction of the cost. Never mind the ethical abuse issues invloved in torturing sentient beings to death, why on earth is such bad science as animal experimentation still being undertaken? Poor intellectual capacity on the part of vivisectors. And MONEY. If these studies turn out to reverse or prevent vCJD in humans, I shall be very, very surprised. It is a slaient and sobering fact that 95% of drugs passed as safe after being used on nonhumans, are immediately discarded as dangerous or useless for humans. I am no doctor, but I do my research carefully. The information is available all over the web, in scientific periodicals and textbooks; this kind of research is simply bad science practised for convenience by the kinds of scientists that would otherwise be unable to make their mark. The truth is, vivisection is fraud. It is not "Your child or the dog" anymore, but "Your child AND the dog." It is about time that the sadists that practice it came clean and started real scientific research. And people wonder why there is still no cure for cancer... ask the vivisectors.

3

Scaramouche,

01/02/2007 10:03:12

Is a mouse a mammal? Yes. Is its organic and genetic make-up similar to humans, another mammalian species? Yes.

Go right ahead and experiment, ladies and gentlemen. If the saving of ONE human life costs 200 mice-lives ..... so be it! Experiment away!

They breed faster than us anyway, and they terrify my wife and daughter!

4

Al,

01/02/2007 12:37:08

#2. Your ignorance astounds me. Vivesection isn't nice but in some cases it is the only viable approach.

5

Jay Kay,

Dunfermline 01/02/2007 16:29:58

Stoneymouse, be prepared to be surprised. Maybe before you make the kind of statments made you should undertake a PHd on cellular biology or micro-biology to fully understand the mechanisms of bacteria and viruses. You might learn something new about cells and the way in which a virus mutates. its at the cellular level can scientists try to unlock to mysteries or viral development, would you rather they practiced on live patients?, how else are we to understand and therefore find a key to cellular pathology?


 

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