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An improved version of vitamin K could help reverse brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests.
Alzheimer’s disease and many other neurodegenerative diseases are marked by a loss of brain neurons. While most drugs only treat symptoms, researchers at the Department of Biosciences and Engineering at Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan set out to determine whether a new approach could replace lost cells.
Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that contributes to blood clotting, bone health and other important body functions, according to the National Institutes of Health.
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Although it has been shown to promote brain protection and neuron creation, natural forms of vitamin K – including menaquinone-4 (MK-4) – may not be potent enough to effectively treat neurodegenerative diseases, experts say.
An improved version of vitamin K could help reverse brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests. (iStock)
To increase its potency, researchers at the Department of Biosciences and Engineering at the Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan have developed new, more potent forms of this vitamin.
To do this, they created 12 new versions of vitamin K and combined it with retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A that helps brain cells grow and develop.
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In laboratory tests, the new lab-made versions of vitamin K were about three times more effective than natural vitamin K in helping immature brain cells develop into neurons, according to study co-leader Associate Professor Yoshihisa Hirota.
Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that contributes to blood clotting, bone health and other important body functions. (iStock)
The new vitamin K compound has also been shown to successfully cross the blood-brain barrier in animal tests.
Another important advantage, the researchers noted, is that the new molecules retain the same benefits of vitamin K and vitamin A while demonstrating stronger brain cell activity.
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The results were published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience.
The new vitamin K compound has also been shown to successfully cross the blood-brain barrier in animal tests. (iStock)
“Since neuronal loss is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, these analogs may serve as regenerative agents that help replenish lost neurons and restore brain function,” Hirota said in a press release.
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Looking ahead, the research team plans to test the new compounds in animal and human studies, hoping that this could lead to a new approach to slowing or repairing brain degeneration in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
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“A vitamin K-derived drug that slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or improves its symptoms could not only improve the quality of life of patients and their families, but also significantly reduce the growing societal burden of health care costs and long-term care,” Hirota added.
