Latest news with #Ambroxol
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Parkinson's disease: Common cough syrup revealed to slow down cognitive decline and dementia
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and complex neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement. It is narked not only by motor symptoms – such as tremors, stiffness, and bradykinesia – but also by cognitive decline. PD is also characterized by the degeneration and death of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger crucial for smooth and coordinated muscle movements. This loss of dopamine leads to a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms. Moreover, up to half of people with PD develop Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) within a decade, with symptoms ranging from memory loss and confusion to hallucinations and mood disturbances. Recently, a groundbreaking phase 2 clinical trial has revealed that a common cough medicine can stabilize psychiatric symptoms and potentially slow cognitive decline in PDD patients. Read on to know more. The recent discovery According to a clinical trial, Ambroxol, a common cough medicine (used in Europe), has shown promise in slowing cognitive decline in people with Parkinson's disease dementia. A 12-month study conducted by researchers at Lawson Research Institute found that Ambroxol helped stabilise psychiatric symptoms, improved cognitive function, and protected against brain damage in genetically at-risk participants. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Usinas a gás: chave na transição energética Siemens Energy Leia mais Undo The study published in JAMA Neurology compared the outcome of the expectorant Ambroxol with a placebo among participants with Parkinson's disease dementia. While primary and secondary outcomes were similar, participants on the placebo experienced worsening neuropsychiatric symptoms compared to symptoms remaining the same in the intervention group. The results also showed a possible improvement in cognitive symptoms for people with variants of a particular gene. Understanding Parkinson's Dementia Parkinson's disease dementia is a progressive condition superimposed on the classic movement symptoms of PD. It typically manifests in the later stages of the disease and includes cognitive impairment – memory lapses, executive dysfunction, visual hallucinations, and mood disturbances like depression or apathy. Approximately 153,000 people in the UK live with PD. There is currently no cure for PDD, but patients can take medications called cholinesterase inhibitors to help manage symptoms. Existing treatments, such as cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., rivastigmine, donepezil) and memantine, may provide some symptomatic relief but fail to halt or alter the underlying neurodegeneration. Ambroxol: From cough syrup to neuroprotection Ambroxol has been widely used in Europe for decades as a mucoactive agent – it helps clear phlegm and has an excellent safety profile. Its potential in neurodegenerative disease stems from its ability to enhance glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity, a key enzyme encoded by the GBA1 gene. Reduced GCase activity leads to the build-up of alpha-synuclein, a hallmark of PD and PDD. By enhancing GCase, Ambroxol may promote the clearance of pathological proteins and reduce brain cell damage. Key findings from the phase 2 trial Researchers at Lawson Research Institute conducted a 12-month, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 55 PDD patients, administering high-dose Ambroxol (525–1,050 mg/day). The major outcomes included: Symptom stabilization: Placebo participants experienced significant worsening in neuropsychiatric measures, while those on Ambroxol remained stable. Brain injury marker (GFAP): Serum GFAP – a biomarker of neuronal damage – increased in the placebo group but remained stable with Ambroxol, implying neuroprotective action. Cognitive improvement in high-risk individuals: Patients harboring GBA1 risk variants exhibited noticeable cognitive gains. Safety and tolerance: Ambroxol was generally well-tolerated, with no serious adverse effects noted. One detailed report noted that high-dose Ambroxol recipients showed improved Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores by approximately 2 points, while placebo subjects declined. Limitations and the way ahead While findings are promising, they come from a small, single-center Phase 2 trial with limited diversity and may not be fully statistically conclusive. Certain dose‑response relationships remain unclear, and the subset of GBA1 carriers was small – about eight participants. Researchers are planning larger Phase 3 clinical trials in 2025 to specifically evaluate cognitive outcomes and determine optimal dosing strategies. The parting thought Ambroxol's success could inspire wider interest in repurposing safe, existing medications for neurodegenerative disorders. It also supports the hypothesis that enhancing GCase activity may combat alpha-synuclein pathologies – a concept applicable to Parkinson's, dementia with Lewy bodies, and potentially Gaucher disease. Moreover, this study draws attention to the value of targeted precision medicine – showing particular promise in patients with genetic risk factors (e.g., GBA1 variants). This could pave the way for more personalized neurotherapy approaches Study: Slower memory decline in older adults linked to healthy lifestyle
Medical News Today
07-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Parkinson's: Cough medicine may help slow down cognitive decline
Parkinson's disease dementia develops in people who have a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. Experts are interested in finding the best ways to address and prevent Parkinson's disease dementia. A randomized clinical trial found that the drug Ambroxol may help stabilize the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson's disease dementia, and confirmed the safety of the drug's use among participants. Dementia is a common problem that remains a critical focus of clinical research. One subtype of dementia is Parkinson's disease dementia, which has to do with the mental changes that occur in some people who already have Parkinson's disease. A study published in JAMA Neurology compared the outcome of the expectorant Ambroxol with a placebo among participants with Parkinson's disease primary and secondary outcomes were similar, participants on the placebo experienced worsening neuropsychiatric symptoms compared to symptoms remaining the same in the intervention results also showed a possible improvement in cognitive symptoms for people with variants of a particular gene. Ambroxol for brain health: Potential and limitationsThe authors of the current study note the need for disease-modifying interventions for Parkinson's disease dementia. They note that focusing on a particular enzyme, beta-glucocerebrosidase, has potential, with an increase in this enzyme possibly making things better. They also note that the medication Ambroxol affects this enzyme. This study involved examining the safety of Ambroxol, how well participants tolerated the medication, and how it affected cognitive symptoms. There were 55 participants in total. All participants were over 50 years old and had confirmed Parkinson's disease for 1 year or more before developing dementia. All participants also had a study partner, someone who was in contact with them 'at least 4 days per week.'Participants took either Ambroxol or the placebo for 1 year. Researchers had trouble with recruitment for a low-dose Ambroxol group, so this group was not included in the statistical analyses of primary and secondary outcomes. Overall, there were 22 participants in the high-dose Ambroxol group and 24 participants in the placebo group. As a primary outcome, researchers evaluated participants' conditions using two evaluations: the Clinician's Global Impression of Change and the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale version 13. They also used other evaluation tools for secondary outcomes, including the Parkinson's Disease Cognitive Rating Scale, the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, and the neuropsychiatric inventory. Researchers were able to look at cerebral spinal fluid and plasma biomarkers in some participants as well. Throughout the study, some participants withdrew due to adverse events. Eight participants in the Ambroxol group withdrew, and three in the placebo group in the Ambroxol group saw more gastrointestinal adverse events. The placebo group experienced more psychiatric adverse events and falls than the intervention group. In the statistical analyses, the primary and secondary outcomes between the two groups were about the same. Thus, Ambroxol did not appear to have a significant impact on cognition. However, researchers did observe that the neuropsychiatric inventory stayed the same for the Ambroxol group, but the placebo group got worse in this area, indicating the placebo group experienced worsening behavioral functioning. People at high risk of Parkinson's dementia may benefit moreThe authors of the study note that GBA1 gene variants can increase the risk for cognitive decline in people who have Parkinson's disease, and that 'homozygous disease-causing variants in GBA1' can increase the risk for Parkinson's disease. In participants with GBA1 gene variants, those taking the high-dose Ambroxol had decreases in neuropsychiatric inventory scores, three to a level of 'clinically meaningful improvement,' and three also had clinically important improved cognitive also observed increased beta-glucocerebrosidase levels among Ambroxol participants at the 26-week mark. Study author Stephen H. Pasternak, MD, PhD, FRCPC, a specialist in neurology, explained the following about the study to Medical News Today: 'Our goal was to test the safety and tolerability of Ambroxol and to assess its effect on cognition. We randomized 55 patients to Ambroxol 1,050 mg/day [milligrams per day] or placebo for 1 year. Ambroxol was well tolerated; we only saw stomach upset as a side effect, and it was mostly mild. Patients on Ambroxol had fewer psychiatric symptoms. Patients on placebo had a worsening of plasma GFAP, a marker of neurodegeneration. A subgroup of patients (with GBA1 mutations) appeared to have improved cognition.'How might a cough medication help maintain cognitive function?Pasternak told MNT that: 'We hope that Ambroxol, or drugs like Ambroxol, will be able to prevent the onset of Parkinson's disease and dementia if it is given early enough.' While more research is needed, this study sets up the possibility of using Ambroxol in the future to help people with Parkinson's disease dementia. Daniel Truong, MD, a neurologist, medical director of the Truong Neuroscience Institute at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, who was not involved in this research, explained that with future research this could lead to 'a new class of disease-modifying therapy for [Parkinson's disease dementia].Hypothesising on the potential mechanisms of action, Truong explained that:'Ambroxol, by enhancing lysosomal function via GCase [beta-glucocerebrosidase], may slow underlying neurodegeneration, especially in GBA1-related PDD [Parkinson's disease dementia] — marking a shift toward targeted disease modification rather than purely symptomatic treatment.' He also noted that this could lead to 'repurposing an established drug' as 'Ambroxol is already widely used as a mucolytic agent with a known safety profile.''This reduces development time, regulatory barriers, and cost, making it more feasible for rapid clinical adoption — especially in resource-limited settings,' Truong while it is commonly used in medical settings in many European countries, the expectorant drug is currently not approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Still, should the current study findings be confirmed by further research, Pasternak hopes experts may see the drug in a new light.'Current therapies for Parkinson's disease and dementia address symptoms but do not stop the underlying disease. These [new] findings suggest Ambroxol may protect brain function, especially in those genetically at risk. It offers a promising new treatment avenue where few currently exist,' he noted in a press research needed to confirm findingsThe study does have a few limitations. It was a fairly small study with mostly white male participants that only went on for one year. It is possible that 1 year was not long enough to evaluate changes in cognitive symptoms since the placebo group did not see declines in cognitive also note that the study was limited since it was a phase 2 trial out of a single center. They also acknowledge difficulties in recruitment and retention, and note that participants had 'limited ability to tolerate the long cognitive assessments.' The researchers did not get to conduct statistical analyses to look at differences between high and low doses of Ambroxol. They also note that the low-dose group appeared to have worse cognition. They suggest that future studies should possibly stratify participants by cognitive severity. They also acknowledge that it is possible that the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale version 13 might not have been sensitive enough to detect changes in 1 year in participants who had mild Parkinson's disease dementia. All participants in this study only had mild to moderate dementia. Finally, only eight participants total had GBA1 gene variants, so more research is needed to see if people in this group could experience distinct benefits from Ambroxol. Only three participants with GBA1 gene variants had the minimal clinically important difference in cognitive scores, and researchers acknowledge that 'this sample is too small to support any conclusion.' Pasternak and his colleagues are planning to conduct a follow-up clinical trial later in 2025. The current research received funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation, a grant-giving nongovernmental organisation in the United Kingdom.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
How common cough syrup could help Parkinson's patients
A new study suggests that Ambroxol, a common cough syrup, may slow the progression of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease. The year-long clinical trial involving 55 participants found Ambroxol to be safe, well-tolerated, and capable of reaching therapeutic levels in the brain. Participants receiving Ambroxol showed stable neuropsychiatric symptoms, unlike the placebo group, where symptoms worsened, and those with high-risk genetic variants showed improved cognitive performance. The drug appears to protect the brain from deterioration, as indicated by stable levels of the brain damage marker GFAP in the Ambroxol group compared to an increase in the placebo group. While Ambroxol is widely used in Europe for respiratory conditions, it remains unapproved for any use in the United States or Canada, with researchers hoping for larger trials to confirm its effectiveness.
Scottish Sun
01-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Common cough medicine could help protect against a form of dementia, new study finds
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A COMMON cough medicine could help protect people with Parkinson's against dementia. Around 145,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's, a progressive brain disease that affects movement - but they're also more likely to develop certain forms of dementia. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A cough medicine prescribed for decades in Europe - called ambroxol - could stabilise the progression of Parkinson's dementia Credit: Getty Some people start to have problems with thinking, memory and perception. In fact, about a third with Parkinson's eventually develop dementia, according Alzheimer's Society. Now, researchers at Lawson Research Institute are investigating whether Ambroxol - a cough medicine used safely for decades in Europe - can slow dementia in people with Parkinson's disease. Lead author Dr Stephen Pasternak, a cognitive neurologist, said: "Our goal was to change the course of Parkinson's dementia. "This early trial offers hope and provides a strong foundation for larger studies." Ambroxol is an over-the-counter medicine that breaks up phlegm, making it easier to cough "with an excellent safety record", according to researchers. But it isn't currently approved in the UK, researchers said. The study - published in JAMA Neurology - involved 55 people over the age of 50, who'd had Parkinson's disease for at least a year before developing mild to moderate dementia. They were either given a daily dose of Ambroxol - 525mg or 1,050mg a day - or a placebo. Researchers assessed their memory, psychiatric symptoms, and the blood marker GFAP linked to brain damage. I saw a subtle change in my husband's run but never expected brain diagnosis They found that the drug was safe and well-tolerated among participants. Dementia symptoms worsened in the placebo group, they remained stable in those taking Ambroxol, scientists said. 'Individuals receiving placebo showed a clinically meaningful worsening in neuropsychiatric symptoms, whereas those receiving ambroxol remained stable,' researchers wrote. Ambroxol boosts levels of an enzyme called GCase, which is known to help clear away waste products which have gathered in brain cells. In Parkinson's, a build up of a troublesome protein called alpha-synuclein is often seen in the brain tissue. It's thought that ambroxol may help improve the body's ability to clear away these clumps of alpha-synuclein and prevent damage to brain cells. Participants with high risk variants of a key gene linked to dementia - called GBA1 - showed improved cognitive performance on Ambroxol, researchers added. Markers of brain cell damage, GFAP, also increased in the placebo group but stayed stable in those taking Ambroxol. What are the symptom's of Parkinson's dementia? Most people with Parkinson's dementia have symptoms very similar to those of dementia with Lewy bodies. These include: Problems with staying focused Difficulties with making decisions Memory loss and forgetfulness Problems with the way the person sees things around them As well as problems with memory and thinking, Parkinson's dementia also often causes: Problems staying fully awake Very disturbed sleep Visual hallucinations - seeing things which are not really there Delusions – thinking things that aren't true Changes in appetite Mood symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, or apathy Source: Alzheimer's Society This suggested the cough medicine may have the potential to protect the brain from Parkinson's-related decline. 'Ambroxol was safe, well-tolerated, and demonstrated target engagement,' scientists wrote, however adding that the drug's clinical effect on cognition was 'not confirmed' in the study. Dr Pasternak said: "Current therapies for Parkinson's disease and dementia address symptoms but do not stop the underlying disease. "These findings suggest Ambroxol may protect brain function, especially in those genetically at risk. It offers a promising new treatment avenue where few currently exist." Scientists hope the study's findings could pave the way for larger clinical trials that test the effectiveness of Ambroxol in slowing dementia symptoms. Dr Pasternak is now is now looking into whether boosting GCase with Ambroxol could help protect the brain in Parkinson's-related diseases. "This research is vital because Parkinson's dementia profoundly affects patients and families," he said. "If a drug like Ambroxol can help, it could offer real hope and improve lives." Ambroxol was first explored as a possible Parkinson's treatment in 2009. A trial supported by Parkinson's UK that's currently taking place will observe 330 people with Parkinson's as they take ambroxol - a placebo drug - over two yeas, to see if it is beneficial in the long-term.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Common cough medicine could help protect against a form of dementia, new study finds
A COMMON cough medicine could help protect people with Parkinson's against dementia. Around 145,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's, a progressive brain disease that affects movement - but they're also more likely to develop certain forms of dementia. 1 Some people start to have problems with thinking, memory and perception. In fact, about a third with Parkinson's eventually develop dementia, according Alzheimer's Society. Now, researchers at Lawson Research Institute are investigating whether Ambroxol - a cough medicine used safely for decades in Europe - can slow dementia in people with Parkinson's disease. Lead author Dr Stephen Pasternak, a cognitive neurologist, said: "Our goal was to change the course of Parkinson's dementia. "This early trial offers hope and provides a strong foundation for larger studies." Ambroxol is an over-the-counter medicine that breaks up phlegm, making it easier to cough "with an excellent safety record", according to researchers. But it isn't currently approved in the UK, researchers said. The study - published in JAMA Neurology - involved 55 people over the age of 50, who'd had Parkinson's disease for at least a year before developing mild to moderate dementia. They were either given a daily dose of Ambroxol - 525mg or 1,050mg a day - or a placebo. Researchers assessed their memory, psychiatric symptoms, and the blood marker GFAP linked to brain damage. I saw a subtle change in my husband's run but never expected brain diagnosis They found that the drug was safe and well-tolerated among participants. Dementia symptoms worsened in the placebo group, they remained stable in those taking Ambroxol, scientists said. 'Individuals receiving placebo showed a clinically meaningful worsening in neuropsychiatric symptoms, whereas those receiving ambroxol remained stable,' researchers wrote. Ambroxol boosts levels of an enzyme called GCase, which is known to help clear away waste products which have gathered in brain cells. In Parkinson's, a build up of a troublesome protein called alpha-synuclein is often seen in the brain tissue. It's thought that ambroxol may help improve the body's ability to clear away these clumps of alpha-synuclein and prevent damage to brain cells. Participants with high risk variants of a key gene linked to dementia - called GBA1 - showed improved cognitive performance on Ambroxol, researchers added. Markers of brain cell damage, GFAP, also increased in the placebo group but stayed stable in those taking Ambroxol. This suggested the cough medicine may have the potential to protect the brain from Parkinson's-related decline. 'Ambroxol was safe, well-tolerated, and demonstrated target engagement,' scientists wrote, however adding that the drug's clinical effect on cognition was 'not confirmed' in the study. Dr Pasternak said: "Current therapies for Parkinson's disease and dementia address symptoms but do not stop the underlying disease. "These findings suggest Ambroxol may protect brain function, especially in those genetically at risk. It offers a promising new treatment avenue where few currently exist." Scientists hope the study's findings could pave the way for larger clinical trials that test the effectiveness of Ambroxol in slowing dementia symptoms. Dr Pasternak is now is now looking into whether boosting GCase with Ambroxol could help protect the brain in Parkinson's-related diseases. "This research is vital because Parkinson's dementia profoundly affects patients and families," he said. "If a drug like Ambroxol can help, it could offer real hope and improve lives." Ambroxol was first explored as a possible Parkinson's treatment in 2009. A trial supported by Parkinson's UK that's currently taking place will observe 330 people with Parkinson's as they take ambroxol - a placebo drug - over two yeas, to see if it is beneficial in the long-term.
