Single-dose nasal spray ‘washes the brain’ of toxic Alzheimer’s proteins – paving the way for breakthrough treatment [Video]

A SINGLE-dose nasal spray treatment could ‘wash away’ build ups of toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease from brain cells and improve memory, scientists say.

The study – performed on mice – paves the way for new treatments against Alzheimer’s and dementia, researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch said.

Alzheimer’s is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of two proteins in the brain called amyloid and tau, both of which have become an important target for treatments.

Deposits of amyloid, called plaques, build up around brain cells, while tau proteins form “tangles” within brain cells.

“In healthy brains, tau proteins help keep things in order,” Texas University researchers explained.

“But in neurodegenerative diseases, they can become abnormally twisted and form tangles that disrupt neuronal function and lead to cognitive decline.”

Current treatments …