Scottish scientists are in the process of developing a drug that could help negate some of the ill effects of Alzheimer's disease.
A man-made compound has been developed that is capable of jamming a nerve cell process which is known to lead to symptoms of the incapacitating disease.
In people suffering from the disease, this process leads to the death of brain cells, causing memory loss and learning disability.
The process occurs when the interaction of an 'amyloid' protein and an enzyme called ABAD (Amyloid Beta Alcohol Dehydrogenase) releases toxic substances which kill brain cells.
After studying how amyloid attaches itself to ABAD, researchers at the University of St Andrews, were then able to develop a chemical decoy called a peptide which attracted the amyloid to attach to it instead of the ABAD.
It also caused some amyloid to decouple from ABAD where it was already fixed and connect with the peptide in its place. Some symptoms of learning problems and memory loss improved in mice.
"Alzheimer's sufferers produce too much amyloid and ABAD in their brains. Based on our knowledge of ABAD, we produced an inhibitor that can prevent amyloid attaching to it in a living model. We have shown that it is possible to reverse some of the signs associated with Alzheimer's disease," Telegraph quoted Dr Gunn-Moore, a senior lecturer at the University's School of Biology, as saying.
"The work is now being continued to try and refine the inhibitor into a potential drug. Our research holds a possible key for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, particularly in its early stages," he added.
Dr Gunn-Moore believes it will take another three years to build up the peptide into a drug and then several more years before the first human trials can be conducted.
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, described the research as "exciting".
"A drug that can stop Alzheimer's disease from killing brain cells is a holy grail for researchers working to overcome the devastating condition which affects more than 500,000 people in the UK," Wood said.