Prazosin, a drug used to treat high blood pressure and enlargement of the prostate, could protect the brain from damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and schizophrenia.

The drug, which is also prescribed as an antipsychotic medication, tends to block the increase of steroids hormones known to the world as glucocorticoids. This finding was disclosed by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Scientists believe stress activates a neurochemical response in the brain that triggers the release of glucocorticoids in the brain, and that high levels of glucocorticoids in blood serum are associated with such psychiatric conditions as schizophrenia, depression, PTSD and Alzheimer’s disease. This mechanism has been linked to decreases in cognitive performance in older people who are not suffering from clinical dementia.

“Our hypothesis is that just being afraid of being blown up all the time means you have high levels of steroids all the time,” Berger said, referring to PTSD among military personnel.

Low levels of glucocorticoids have anti-inflammatory effects in the brain, but high levels can trigger inflammatory mechanisms that damage nerve cells by activating an enzyme that causes oxidative stress. Even a single exposure to a high dose of glucocorticoids can be sufficient to damage nerve cells: A previous study showed synthetic glucocorticoid therapy to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis can induce mood disorders, including psychosis, and cognitive impairment known as “steroid dementia” in severe forms.

The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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According to a study, adults over the age of 55 years fear Alzheimer’s disease more than the dreaded cancer, and with good reasons. Add to that, the available treatments for this disease are more or less ineffective.

But not now, researchers from the Georgetown University have suggested that spirostenols, which is a new class of Anti-Alzheimer’s disease, can undo characteristic pathophysiology of Alzheimer-affected brains. Further testing in this regard led to suggestions that Caprospinol (SP-233), which is one such molecule, can actually reverse the course of an Alzheimer-like ailment induced in rats.

From News-Medical.Net:

Buildup of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain has been recognized as a hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s for close to a century. Significant research points to this buildup as a causative factor in the development and progression of the disease. Until recently this hypothesis could not be tested definitively because of a lack of treatments that eliminate beta-amyloid plaques.

Samaritan Pharmaceutical scientists, working with leading researchers from Georgetown and McGill Universities, have demonstrated in a rat animal model, used to test new innovative drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, that Caprospinol clears amyloid plaque from the brain and restored memory. More impressively, treated rats perform as well or better in standardized behavioral tests than healthy control animals. In addition to eliminating plaque, Caprospinol appears to reverse the damage to memory and cognition that amyloid plaque causes.

Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, of McGill University Health Center, an adviser to Samaritan, and the discoverer of anti-Alzheimer’s spirostenols recently published a paper reviewing current development-stage approaches to treating Alzheimer’s disease (Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery, 2007, 2, 113-123). In this article, he identified amyloid plaque as a key target for therapy. The paper also summarized the research on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors as well as beta-amyloid aggregation inhibitors, of which Caprospinol is an example.

Caprospinol, which is a steroid, has received the go-ahead from the FDA for human testing. It is believed to cause no unanticipated interactions with other medications that may be taken by the Alzheimer’s patients.

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According to a recent research it was found that steroids used for muscles gains could also switch to “catastrophic” loss of brain cells. A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry by Yale School of Medicine revealed that the high level of drugs in the body might kill user’s nerve cells. This sepcific condition is referred as “roid rage” in bodybuilding world and is well-known among the competitors.

The drugs are well-known for increasing the levels of male sex hormone, testosterone. The researchers also believe that the effect could be the answer why there is an increase in aggressiveness and suicidal tendency among steroid users. Medically, the condition is known as hyperexcitability.

During the study, the Yale medicine team found that the exposure of nerve cells to testosterone could trigger to cell death (apoptosis). Though, it is a natural process that helps in clearing away damaged cells, whch may be harmful, in normal conditions but when healthy cells also become suicidal, the process can cause some major problems. As a result of which severe neurological problems, such as Alzheimer’s and Huntingdon’s disease can happen.

Medically, apoptosis is characterised by membrane instability, DNA fragmentation and executioner proteins, known as caspases, activation process. In regard of the study Professor Barbara Ehrlich, a lead researcher, said “Next time a muscle-bound guy in a sports car cuts you off on the highway, don’t get mad, just take a deep breath and realise that it might not be his fault.”

From BBC:

Using steroids to build bulging muscles can also trigger “catastrophic” loss of brain cells, research suggests.

The drugs are known to raise levels of the male sex hormone testosterone.

A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry by Yale School of Medicine found high levels of the hormone killed off nerve cells.

The researchers believe the effect might explain why some steroid users become aggressive and suicidal - a condition known as hyperexcitability.

The condition is well known in the bodybuilding world, where it is referred to as roid rage.

In another study published in the journal Behavioural Neuroscience, researchers focused on the aggressive role of adolescent hamsters. Dr Richard Melloni, who led the research at Northeastern University in Boston, said it was expected that the findings applied to humans.

In this regard Director of the Lucozade Sports Science Academy, John Brewer commented that the findings were not surprising. He said “People think steroids are banned because they are performance enhancing, but the second, equally important, reason is that they are known to have a major negative effect on people’s health.

John Brewer also said”This study provides further evidence for why we should never give in to people who want to use steroids and drugs in sport. The moment we do that we will have a major hit on the health services, as use will cascade down the pyramid of sports.”

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