Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University said their discovery might lead to new therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease, ALS, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, stroke, dementia and malignant gliomas.

Neurodegenerative diseases are caused by the deterioration of neurons in the brain and spine, resulting in problems related to either movement or memory, the scientists said. For most patients, it might be months or years before symptoms are evident because a large number of neurons die or stop functioning during a period of time.

Now Professor Paul Fisher and colleagues have discovered the mechanism of action of ceftriaxone, a third-generation antibiotic with neuroprotective properties in glutamate transport.

The researchers said their findings suggest the antibiotic or a similar drug might serve as a potential therapy against neurodegenerative disease caused by glutamate toxicity.

"This work not only has implications for the field of neurodegeneration and neurobiology, but may also help us more clearly understand brain cancer, including malignant glioma … and how it impacts brain function," said Fisher.

The findings are reported in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.