Scientists have discovered that sodium selenate could be the magic bullet to stop cognitive decline in dementia patients. According to The Jerusalem Post, this new treatment could be critical for patients with early stages of behavioral frontotemporal dementia, most common in people aged 65 and older.

It’s also the second most common form of dementia in people younger than 65. A peer-reviewed study by scientists at Australia’s Monash University found that treating this form of dementia with the medication sodium selenate stabilizes escalating behavioral issues cause by frontotemporal dementia before it happens.

The study noted that sodium selenate was safe and well tolerated by the participants with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia or bvFTD. This rapidly progressive disease usually attacks the elderly but can impact patients as young as 35 years of age. Symptoms are disruptive behavior and unexpected personality changes.

The yearlong study found that patients undergoing this treatment had no change in cognition or behavioral problems. According to researchers at Monash University, nearly half of recorded bvFTD cases result in brain damage due to protein buildup. Tau, the protein in question, has become a prime research target in those studying dementia treatments.

The medication sodium selenate proved to be instrumental in breaking down the tau protein.

“We have previously shown, in a Phase 2 trial, that sodium selenate given to patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease resulted in less neurodegeneration than in those who did not (receive it),” said Dr. Lucy Vivash, the lead scientist and a member of Monash University’s Department of Neuroscience.