Research

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Title :

To study the drugs targeting cholesterol/lipogenic pathway as therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer's Disease

Area of research :

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Focus area :

Neurobiology and Pharmacology

Principal Investigator :

Prof. Bikash Medhi, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh (160012)

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

The project aims to study drugs targeting cholesterol/lipogenic pathways as therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's Disease. Scientific objectives include identifying potential drug targets, examining their effects on cognition, memory, amyloid beta levels, APP processing, and neuroinflammatory markers. Current treatments, such as donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and aducanumab, are insufficient as they only slow down the disease's progression. The proposed research aims to identify and screen potential drugs used to regulate lipid/cholesterol homeostasis in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Rats will be allocated in different groups, including control and diseased groups, and test drugs will be administered according to the chosen timeline. The impact of selected drugs on behavioral aspects in-vivo will be assessed through tests like the Novel object recognition NOR test and Morris water maze MWM test. The biochemical aspects of AD will be assessed in-vivo, including measurement of amyloid-beta levels, amyloid precursor protein levels, and neuroinflammatory markers. The Indo-Austrian collaboration will involve a well-established neurobehavior laboratory equipped with Ethovision XT Software, a room with controlled light and temperature facility, and various behavioral equipment. The study aims to understand the mechanisms involved in brain lipid homeostasis, which is crucial for the brain's synthesis of cholesterol and the processing of amyloid precursor protein.

Co-PI:

Dr. Ajay Prakash, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Researchesearch(PGIMER), Chandigarh (160012

Total Budget (INR):

5,82,000

Organizations involved