Researchers have discovered a new and potentially important protein that is linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Alzheimer’s Disease: Fresh Insights
To identify other proteins that may be directly involved with fundamental aspects of AD, like synaptic loss and neurodegeneration, investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, exposed laboratory neurons to human brain extracts from about 40 people who either had AD, were protected from AD despite having high Aβ and tau levels, or were protected from AD with little or no Aβ and tau in their brains.‘Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently has no cure and is predicted to affect over 100 million people worldwide by 2050.’
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“Interestingly, GM2A has been previously implicated as a causative agent in a lysosomal storage disorder very similar to Tay-Sachs disease, another condition like AD that destroys neurons,” said senior author Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD, from the Department of Neurology.
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Source-Eurekalert