Vitamin Could Delay Onset of Alzheimer's

A simple dose of vitamin B3 may be one of the keys to combating the brain deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s disease, California scientists say. The team found that diseased mice given high levels of the vitamin retained normal memory ability over the four months of a study, and healthy mice actually improved their ability, reports the Guardian.

“At the moment we're talking about a disease for which there is no sort of treatment and this is likely to be far safer than any of the upcoming drugs,” says the study’s lead researcher. The necessary dose is higher than the amount of B3 in common supplements. A trial with human subjects will begin early next year.