Protein provides Alzheimer's clue
(lack of EphB2)
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A gene therapy technique designed to ease the memory problems of Alzheimer's disease has been tested in rats, BBC News has reported. The website says that scientists took rats bred to have an Alzheimer's-like condition and improved their memory problems by increasing levels of a chemical that helps brain cells signal to each other.
The laboratory study in question has detailed some of the complex pathways that underpin the nerve cell damage that is linked with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found that the protein deposits commonly found in the brain of people with the disease specifically affect the passage of nerve impulses through some brain cells. This, they discovered, is because the protein deposits interfere with a chemical that affects some important receptors in the brain.
This is a new line of research that may one day reveal a target for human treatment, but for now its direct relevance to human health is unclear. While the research has successfully tested a new ‘treatment’ in rats, it is not yet clear how they will be affected in the long term or how the treatment might translate to one that will be safe for use in humans. Where did the story come from?The study was carried out by researchers in San Francisco and was funded by the US National Institutes of Health. It was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature.
BBC News discusses the context and methods of this research well, and quotes relevant experts who have commented on what this study adds to this field. Read more: chapelallertontoday.co.uk
Vitamin B-12 impact on Alzheimer’s disease
Recently, the media has trumpeted a new study that reported taking more vitamin B-12 can help stop and possibly reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. However, some doctors are warning that the public may be misled by the reporting of this research to think they should up their intake of this vitamin. Read more: healthcentral.com
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