Alzheimer's prevention breakthrough found in decades-old seizure drug

The anti-seizure medication, levetiracetam, was first approved by the FDA in November 1999 under the brand name Keppra as a therapy for partial-onset seizures in adults. The approval has since expanded to include children and other types of seizures.

Northwestern University researchers recently found that levetiracetam prevented the formation of toxic amyloid beta peptides, which are small protein fragments in the brain that are commonly seen in Alzheimer's patients.

The medication was found to prevent the formation of amyloid-beta 42 in both animal models and cultured human neurons, according to the study findings, which were published in Science Translational Medicine.

"While many of the Alzheimer's drugs currently on the market, such as lecanemab and donanemab, are approved to clear existing amyloid plaques, we've identified this mechanism that prevents the production of the amyloid‑beta 42 peptides and amyloid plaques," said corresponding author Jeffrey Savas, associate professor of behavioral neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in a press release. 

"Our new results uncovered new biology while also opening doors for new drug targets."

"This is not a statement of disease; this is just a part of aging. But in brains developing Alzheimer's, too many neurons go astray, and that's when you get amyloid-beta 42 production," he said. 

In order for levetiracetam to function as an Alzheimer's blocker, high-risk patients would have to start taking it "very, very early," Savas said - up to 20 years before elevated amyloid-beta 42 levels would be detected.

"Although the magnitude of change was small (on the scale of a few years), this analysis supports the positive effect of levetiracetam to slow the progression of Alzheimer's pathology," Savas said.

Looking ahead, the research team aims to find people who have genetic forms of Alzheimer's to participate in testing, Savas said.

Savas noted that levetiracetam "is not perfect," cautioning that it breaks down in the body very quickly.

The team is currently working to create a "better version" that would last longer in the body and "better target the mechanism that prevents the production of the plaques."

The medication's common documented side effects include drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, irritability, headache, loss of appetite and nasal congestion.

Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

Fox News Digital reached out to the drug manufacturer and the researchers for comment.