Alzheimer’s targets brain cells that help people stay awake

Science News

New Alzheimer’s disease research is providing valuable insight into the cause of the drowsiness associated with dementias. A study performed in a neuropathology lab at UC San Francisco found the brain stem and hypothalamus to be packed with tau protein. The brain stem and hypothalamus oversee several nervous system functions, including keeping people awake and focused. Tau forms “tangles” inside of nerve cells and hinder them from performing necessary functions. In studying three areas of theses structures that help keep people awake, researchers found over 70 percent of the nerve cells were destroyed by tau. These findings will help to drive a greater focus on the brain stem in dementia and Alzheimers research.

Read the full article here.

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Multiple genes have been found to be linked to the cause Alzheimer’s disease and result in the disease in different ways. This connection can help better identify targets for prevention therapy by recognizing the different ways the genes lead to neuronal death.

Neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglial cells are all different cell types found in the brain, specific gene variants had different proportions of these cells in the brain. Scientists at the Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis are working on figuring out how each gene is different and what it does in the brain can help the understanding of how it leads to disease and the best ways to treat it.

References:

Dryden J. Genes linked to Alzheimer’s contribute to damage in different ways. The Source. June 8, 2018.