Alzheimer's is a chronic disease caused by a progressive loss of structure or function of neurons. The most common symptoms of Alzheimer's include memory loss and confusion. As of now, no cures exist but many strategies may help improve symptoms, thus creating a happier life. Alzheimer's is widespread with nearly 44 million people having it (“2015”). Alzheimer's disease is one of the most widespread disorders in the world. Current treatments and therapy can treat symptoms experienced, especially in the early stages, but none can delay or hinder the progression of Alzheimer's. With the need of new treatments to deter Alzheimer's advancement, gene therapy is seen as a great alternative to the current treatments (Nobre). All Alzheimer’s patients…show more content… Mark H. Tuszynski, MD, PhD, of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues initiated a clinical trial of NGF (nerve growth factor) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001 with a goal of determining whether or not NGF could prevent or reduce neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer’s. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, documents the “postmortem findings in 10 patients with survival times from one to 10 years after treatment” (Nobre). During the clinical trials, which ran from March 2001 to October 2012, 10 patients with Alzheimer’s underwent NGF gene therapy using ex vivo (outside an organism) or in vivo (inside an organism) gene transfer. Degenerating neurons in all 10 patients were found to respond to NGF, with axonal sprouting; “a process where fine nerve processes – sprouts – grow out from the intact axons to reinnervate denervated muscle fibers (“Axonal”).” In three of the patients that underwent the gene transfer, cholinergic neuronal hypertrophy, which was beneficial to the brain, occurred in the NGF-treated side of the brain (Nobre). Additionally, two patients were found to have activation of cellular signaling and functional markers. Neurons exhibited tau (type of protein) pathology and those lacking tau expressed NGF (Nerve growth factor), showing that cells that are dying can be regenerated with therapeutic genes, resulting in the activation of cell signaling. There were no harmful effects noted that were related to the NGF treatment (Tuszynski). The results of the experiment proved that “degenerating neurons were able to respond to growth factors with axonal sprouting, cell hypertrophy, and activation of functional markers. NGF-induced sprouting persisted for 10 years post-transfer
