[NEURO] New drug works well for learning disabilities due to inhibitory brain signals

From: Leonardo Gonzalez (magos@extropian.net)
Date: Sat Jan 19 2002 - 01:26:37 MST


UCLA researchers administered FTI (farnesyl transferase inhibitor) to
mice with NF1 (Neurofibromatosis Type1) and were able to "rescue the
learning deficits".

FTI is a drug that decreases Ras fuction. Ras is a molecule that may
regulate the levels of inhibition in the brain.

"It is possible that in the NF1 mice and possibly in NF1 patients, the
excitatory signals are simply not strong enough to overcome the
abnormally high inhibition caused by the NF1 mutation, and as a
consequence, a lot of information is simply lost before it can be
stored"

Details at:
http://www.drugdiscoveryonline.com/read/nl20020117/484995

Leonardo Gonzalez
Extropian Technologies
http://extropian.net



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