The website IFLScience is reporting that, “This October, a clinical trial is set to begin in which patients with Alzheimer’s disease will be given blood from younger people in the hope that it will improve their cognition.

“While this may sound a little odd, there is method behind the madness. Several previous studies in mice have demonstrated the rejuvenating capabilities of young mouse blood. Old mice given young blood showed improvements in the health of various organs, and one study even found that it can improve cognitive function.

“Taking this one step further, Stanford scientists injected blood plasma from young humans into old mice, and it was found to have the same rejuvenating benefits as young mouse blood.

“We saw these astounding effects,” lead researcher Tony Wyss-Coray told New Scientist. “The human blood had beneficial effects on every organ we’ve studied so far.”

“…The trial will involve giving blood plasma donated by people under the age of 30 to patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive function will be assessed both before and after the transfusion, and family members or carers will be asked to report any improvements.

“… While we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves just yet, Wyss-Coray believes that this kind of treatment could potentially be useful in a number of diseases. “Blood might contain the fountain of youth after all,” he says. “And it is within us all- that’s the crazy thing. It just loses its power as we age.”

Deb Gaber