(건강) 알츠하이머 병을 예방할 수 있는 약이 있는가?

출처: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35558438

Alzheimer's preventative drug hope 알츠하이머 병 예방약

• 13 February 2016
 
• From the sectionHealth

Image copyrightScience Photo Library

Image captionBexarotene is just one of number of drugs which has shown early promise as a preventative drug against Alzheimer's disease 벡사로틴은 알츠하이머 병의(에 대한) 예방약으로 가망성이 있는 많은 약들 중에 단지 하나 일 뿐이다.

Scientists have detected a number of drugs which could help protect against Alzheimer's disease, acting like statins for the brain. 과학자들이 두뇌를 위해 스타틴(콜레스트롤 저하제)처럼 작용하면서, 알츠하이머병으로부터 보호해줄 수 있는 많은 약들을  찾아냈다. (밝은 하늘 註: detect는 동사로 찾아내다. detective는 형용사처럼 보이나 명사로 형사, 탐정, 흥신소 직원이란 뜻임. acting은 명사로 연기, 형용사로 대행의 란 뜻임.)

In experiments on worms, University of Cambridge researchers identified drugs which prevented the very first step towards brain cell death. 밝혀내다. 뇌세포

They now want to match up drugs with specific stages of the disease. (밝은 하늘: match up sth with sth 뭐뭐와 뭐뭐가 매치되다, 맞아떨어지다, 필적하다)

Experts said it was important to find out if these drugs could work safely in humans. (밝은 하늘: 한 문장 안에 여러 문장/절이 들어간 케이스임. humans는 human beings 혹은 human kind 인간이란 뜻임.)

Statins are taken by people to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and the Cambridge research team says its work may have unearthed a potential "neurostatin" to ward off Alzheimer's disease. (밝은 하늘 註: unearth는 파내다(밝혀내다)는 뜻. ward sth/sb off는 피하다 막다 즉 prevent의 뜻임.) 

Genetically programmed worms 유전적으로 프로그램된(개조/조작된) 벌레들

Rather than treating the symptoms of the disease, a neurostatin could be used as a preventative measure to stop the condition appearing in the first place. (밝은하늘: symptoms는 증상)

The cancer drug bexarotene, for example, was found to stop the first step which leads to the death of brain cells in worms genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease. (밝은 하늘: cancer drug은 암치료제)

In previous trials in humans, researchers tested the drug at a later stage of the disease to see if it would clear amyloid plaques from the brain but the trials were unsuccessful.

Dr Rosa Sancho, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said scientists must find out exactly how the drug works before any clinical trials.

"We will now need to see whether this new preventative approach could halt the earliest biological events in Alzheimer's and keep damage at bay in further animal and human studies.

"This early research in worms suggests that bexarotene could act earlier in the process to interfere with amyloid build-up."

Defences 'overwhelmed' 압도된(정상활동 못하게 되는) 방어체계들

Writing in Science Advances, Prof Michele Vendruscolo, senior study author from the University of Cambridge, said the research team wanted to find out more about the mechanics of every stage of the disease's development.

"The body has a variety of natural defences to protect itself against neurodegeneration, but as we age, these defences become progressively impaired and can get overwhelmed. (밝은 하늘: neurodegeneration은 신경퇴화. age는 명사로 나이 그러나 동사로 나이먹다는 뜻임.)

"By understanding how these natural defences work, we might be able to support them by designing drugs that behave in similar ways."

Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at the Alzheimer's Society, said it was still early days.

"Bexarotene has many side-effects when used to treat lymphoma, such as skin complaints, headaches, and sickness, and we would also need to be sure that it's safe for people with Alzheimer's to take. (밝은 하늘: side-effects는 약물의 경우 부작용이란 뜻, 다른 경우에는 예상치 못한 결과란 뜻으로 쓰임.)

"We haven't found any new drugs for dementia in over 10 years, and repurposing drugs that already work for other conditions could provide us with a shortcut to new dementia treatments."