A study from the American Academy of Neurology reports that despite evidence that increased IGF-I helps reduce beta-amyloid plaques in the minds of mice, the IGF-I stimulating drug MK-677 did not help humans given the drug for one year.

J.J. Sevigny of Merck Research Laboratories in North Wales, PA said:

This work suggests that targeting this hormone system may not be an effective approach to slowing the rate of Alzheimer’s disease progression. Importantly it challenges the common theory that hormones may attack beta-amyloid plaque in the brain and builds on the body of clinical evidence for Alzheimer’s disease as we seek to develop more effective treatments.”

Thanks to Eurekalert! for the press release.