Comment: new link between proteins another piece in the Alzheimer's jigsaw says Dr Mark Dallas
Release Date 23 April 2015
Dr Mark Dallas, Lecturer in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Reading, comments on the results of a new study by the University of Cambridge which points to possible future Alzheimer's treatments.
Nerve cell death in Alzheimer's is caused by increased amounts of two toxic molecules - amyloid beta and tau. Previous research has focussed on tau or amyloid beta individually; this important study highlights a novel interplay between both molecules that could offer clues to future treatments.
"By generating nerve cells from skin cells of individuals with Alzheimer's, the so called ‘disease in a dish' experiments, the researchers showed that altering the production of amyloid beta changed the amount of tau. Understanding these interactions at a basic science level is vital for combatting Alzheimer's.
"However, while another important piece in the jigsaw to developing new medicines, this is only the first step. It will be interesting to see if new therapies can be devised to target both amyloid and tau molecules through this common pathway.
"A cure for Alzheimer's still eludes us but studies such as these further our understanding of the disease and move us ever closer."
Dr Mark Dallas
Previous research which Dr Dallas will be sharing at the forthcoming Pint of Science festival in Oxford has shown that carbon monoxide found naturally in our bodies could help protect against damage from Alzheimer's proteins.
Dr Dallas is a member of the Alzheimer's Research UK's Oxford Research Network.