Study Suggests New Therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease

Despite near-daily reports of promising new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it remains unchecked. A new study now reveals the mechanism by which AD may cause memory loss, suggesting new treatments.

AD brains contain two types of lesions: beta-amyloid plaques outside neurons and neurofibrillary tangles within them. The known AD genes implicate plaques, but symptoms correlate more closely with tangles, comprised of “tau” protein, which normally adhere to microtubules. Excess beta-amyloid plaques result in tangles, disrupt microtubules and cause memory loss, even with normal synaptic function. For more information, click here to read the full article.