Alzheimer's Disease News and Research

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living. In most people with AD, symptoms first appear after age 60. AD is the most common cause of dementia among older people, but it is not a normal part of aging. Dementia refers to a decline in cognitive function that interferes with daily life and activities. AD starts in a region of the brain that affects recent memory, then gradually spreads to other parts of the brain. Although treatment can slow the progression of AD and help manage its symptoms in some people, currently there is no cure for this devastating disease.

The Potential of Monoclonal Antibodies for Neonatal Herpes

The results of a recent study led by the Geisel School of Medicine and Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, and published in Cell Reports Medicine, provide new information about the role that antibodies play in preventing herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections.

13 Feb 2024

APOE4's Influence on Lipid Droplets in Brain Cells

The largest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease is apolipoprotein E (APOE), and researchers Sarah Cohen, PhD, and Ian Windham, a former PhD student from the Cohen group, have made a novel discovery about this protein.

12 Feb 2024

Study Unveils Dual Role of 7-DHC in Ferroptosis and Cancer Cell Survival

Cell death is fundamental to life and, thus, healthy aging. In the realm of cellular biology, ferroptosis (a form of programmed cell death) has emerged not only as a focal point of research for its potential in eliminating cancer cells, but also its role in a plethora of other diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, eye diseases such as Retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, as well as ischemia, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, acute kidney injury and inflammation.

2 Feb 2024

A New Tool for Monitoring Neuronal Inhibition

By tracking when distinct subsets of brain cells activate, researchers have understood the complex activity patterns found in both human and animal brains for many years. Knowing how long those neurons stay active and when they turn off again is crucial to understanding the brain and its associated disorders.

24 Jan 2024

Scientists Unravel the Mystery of Parkinson's Disease With 3D Protein Structures

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital revealed the complex structure of two Parkinson's disease-related proteins, both of which are implicated in late-onset cases.

26 Dec 2023

NEMO Protein Promotes Degradation of Harmful Alpha-Synuclein Aggregates in Parkinson's Disease

Researchers have identified a mechanism that promotes the breakdown of harmful protein deposits. If it malfunctions, it can lead to Parkinson’s disease.

21 Dec 2023

A Computational Toolkit for Brain Imaging Analysis

A group of researchers has introduced a set of free tools designed for analyzing extensive collections of brain dissection images from brain banks worldwide.

13 Dec 2023

Tailored Nanoparticles Deliver siRNA to Reduce Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease Models

Some Covid-19 vaccines safely and effectively used lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver messenger RNA to cells.

11 Dec 2023

Brain Cell Genetics Drive Alzheimer's Progression

Developing treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is difficult because complex underlying mechanisms drive different types of cells that may contribute to the disorder.

6 Dec 2023

Misfolded Proteins: How They Damage Neurons and Cause Neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the deposition of clumped proteins in the brain and progressive neuronal cell death.

5 Dec 2023

Rare Genetic Variant Found to Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have discovered that a rare genetic variant known as the "Christchurch mutation" can block detrimental effects of apolipoprotein E4, the best-established risk factor for the most common form of Alzheimer's disease.

14 Nov 2023

New Drug-Like Molecule Enhances Mitophagy, Protects Against Neurodegeneration

Having healthy mitochondria, the organelles that produce energy in all our cells, usually portends a long healthy life whether in humans or in C. elegans, a tiny, short-lived nematode worm often used to study the aging process.

14 Nov 2023

Unlocking the Secrets of Memory: Key Protein Regulates Hippocampal Plasticity

Mount Sinai researchers have shed valuable light on the mechanism of a key protein that regulates the plasticity and function of the hippocampus, a key brain region involved in memory and learning, and that decreases with age in mice.

3 Nov 2023

Kingfisher Genes Reveal Secrets of How They Dive Without Sustaining Brain Damage

If you've ever belly-flopped into a pool, then you know: water can be surprisingly hard if you hit it at the wrong angle. But many species of kingfishers dive headfirst into water to catch their fishy prey.

24 Oct 2023

Slowing down Alzheimer’s with Specialized T Cells

Alzheimer’s disease, a neurological disorder characterized by gradual cognitive decline, including memory loss, affects up to 5.8 million Americans today. Protein aggregates made up of beta-amyloid or other proteins occur in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. These beta-amyloid plaques appear to be a major cause of the disease.

8 Sep 2023

T Cells Infiltrate Brain and Worsen Alzheimer's Pathology, Study Finds

Cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops when neurons begin to die, which can be caused by inappropriate immune responses and excessive inflammation in the brain triggered by amyloid beta deposits and tau tangles, two hallmarks of the disease.

28 Aug 2023

Direct-to-Consumer Blood Test for Assessing User’s Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

In July, the first direct-to-consumer blood test designed to assess a user’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease hit the market. The test, which has not undergone Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, measures the level of a protein called beta amyloid, a key component of plaques that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, disrupting brain function.

23 Aug 2023

Aging Disrupts Gene Expression in Specific Regions of the Brain

Most of us who've reached middle age have noticed a slowing in memory and cognition, but scientists don't have a clear picture of the molecular changes that take place in the brain to cause it.

18 Aug 2023

Whole Genome Sequencing More Effective Than Targeted Gene Sequencing in Detecting Genetic Disorders

A new national study, led by researchers at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, has found whole genome sequencing (WGS) to be nearly twice as effective as a targeted gene sequencing test at identifying abnormalities responsible for genetic disorders in newborns and infants.

12 Jul 2023

New Device Enables Real-Time Environmental Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosols

Now that the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, scientists are looking at ways to surveil indoor environments in real time for viruses.

11 Jul 2023