Nicotine and Alzheimer's script

For more information regarding this feature, contact Susan Griffith by sending e-mail to sbg4@po.cwru.edu or by calling 216-368-4440 or 1-800-368-CWRU.

NICOTINE FIGHTS ALZHEIMER'S (running time = 2:00)

SUGGESTED INTRO: NEW MEDICAL RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT NICOTINE MIGHT AID IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. MORE IN THIS REPORT:

VIDEO: Lab shots.

VOICEOVER: NEW RESEARCH SAYS THAT NICOTINE CAN HELP PREVENT ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IF TAKEN DURING THE EARLY STAGES. IT DOES THIS BY INHIBITING PLAQUE FORMATIONS IN BRAIN TISSUE. MANY CONSIDER AMYLOID PLAQUE TO BE THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF DEMENTIA ASSOCIATED WITH ALZHEIMER'S.

VIDEO: Michael Zagorski in lab.

VOICEOVER: AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, MICHAEL ZAGORSKI RE-CREATED A MODEL OF THE BRAIN'S CHEMISTRY. HE FOUND THAT NICOTINE COULD BOND WITH BETA PEPTIDES IN BRAIN TISSUE. THE CHEMICALS THEN INHIBIT THE FORMATION OF SHEET-LIKE STRUCTURES THAT, IN ALZHEIMER'S ONSET, FORM THE BEDROCK OF AMYLOID PLAQUE DEPOSITS THAT CHOKE OFF NORMAL BRAIN FUNCTION.

VIDEO: Zagorski on-camera.

SOT & SUGGESTED SUPER:
MICHAEL ZAGORSKI,
CWRU ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY

VIDEO: Graphics of nicotine and amino acid molecules.

OUTCUE: "... which is toxic." (:33)

VIDEO: Lab shots; cigarette smoker inhales.

VOICEOVER: NO MATTER WHAT BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM NICOTINE, ZAGORSKI SAYS HE IN NO WAY ENDORSES SMOKING OR MAKES LIGHT OF THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

VIDEO: Zagorski on-camera.

SOUND BITE: MICHAEL ZAGORSKI

OUTCUE: "... in cigarettes that are harmful." (:23)

VIDEO: Close-up of drug designing computer graphics; lab shots.

VOICEOVER: ZAGORSKI BELIEVES THAT HIS RESEARCH WILL HELP IN THE FUTURE DESIGN OF LESS-TOXIC FORMS OF NICOTINE-LIKE DRUGS THAT WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN TREATING ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

THIS IS TOM SHROUT REPORTING FROM CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, CLEVELAND.

-CWRU-