2009 Age Plus Prize Winner: Phillip Ly

Valproic acid inhibits Abeta production, neuritic plaque formation, and behavioral deficits in Alzheimer's disease mouse models

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease leading to dementia. Unfortunately, treatments for this disease have not been effective. In the laboratory of Mr. Ly and his colleagues, it was recently found that the popular epilepsy drug, valproic acid, may have therapeutic values for treating AD.

Genetically engineered mice that have AD-like symptoms typically develop plaques in their brains after six months of age. In the current study, mice were administered valproic acid at the onset of AD symptoms at a dose equivalent to what humans would receive for anti-seizure therapy. It was found that after valproic acid treatment, the number of plaques was reduced, damaged neurons resumed growth, and these mice showed improved performance on a memory tests.

Valproic acid has been used clinically for many decades. Mr. Ly's study was the first to show its effect on AD. He and his colleagues believe that valproic acid will be an invaluable preventive approach for people at risk of developing AD. This study provided insights for the future design of clinical trials to test valproic acid's effect on human AD patients.

Mr. Ly has always been interested in studying the events leading to neurodegeneration and developing ways to prevent it. This project provided the opportunity to use cell culture and animal models to study the molecular mechanisms underlying AD and to test therapeutic values of possible drugs for treating the disease.

Mr. Ly is currently, in Spring 2009, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of British Columbia. He looks forward to completing his doctoral training soon, and then pursuing post-doctoral training while remaining in an academic institution and continuing to contribute new knowledge about AD.