Zeitschrift für Proteomik und Bioinformatik
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Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Treat Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders

David B. Ascher, Gabriela A. N. Crespi, Hooi Ling Ng, Craig J. Morton, Michael W. Parker and Luke A. Miles

Cognitive decline most commonly associated with Alzheimer’s dementia can also result from other conditions including cerebral ischemia or brain trauma. One quarter of people over the age of 65 are estimated to suffer some form of cognitive impairment underscoring the need for effective classes of cognitive-enhancing agents. In this mini-review we highlight recent work from our laboratory on the structural biology of Alzheimers disease and other memory disorders that was presented at the recent PRICPS – AOHUPO 2008 Conference held in Cairns, Australia. Our current work is focused on two proteins, amyloid precursor protein and insulin-regulated aminopeptidase, that are promising targets for the development of anti-Alzheimer’s drugs and as cognitive enhancers. In both cases structures determined by X-ray crystallography are being used to discover promising lead compounds by structure-based drug design.