In 2007 there was a breakthrough in which mice with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease regained long-term memories and the ability to learn. A few years on and scientists have been replicating the same results in human trials.

Lead researcher Professor Li-Huei Tsai explained: "It brings about long-lasting changes in how other genes are expressed, which is probably necessary to increase numbers of synapses and restructure neural circuits, thereby enhancing memory.

The drugs target and boost the function of a newly pinpointed gene involved in the brain's memory formation. They reshape the DNA scaffolding that supports and controls the expression of genes in the brain. The Alzheimer's gene that the drugs act upon is called histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2). It regulates the expression of many genes implicated in plasticity - the brain's ability to change in response to experience - and memory formation. So they now know that inhibiting HDAC2 has the potential to boost synaptic plasticity, synapse formation and memory formation.

In mice, the treatment helped restore long-term memory and improve learning for new tasks.

The same HDAC inhibitors drugs are currently being tested to treat Huntington's disease and are on the market to treat some cancers.

HDAC inhibitor treatment for humans with Alzheimer's disease is still a decade or more away and the scientists are developing new HDAC2-selective inhibitors and test their function for human diseases associated with memory impairment to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

But what are the potential applications for healthy people? Is this is a drug that could increase a healthy persons memory and intelligence. It would make for interesting experimentation.

More information on Professor Li-Huei Tsai and her research can be found on her profile

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