A new joint US - UK study found that some neurons in the brain protect themselves from Alzheimer's through a self-cleaning system that breaks down the toxic proteins associated with the disease.
The disease produces toxic "tau proteins," which weakens the neural cells and ends up killing them. Researchers from Columbia and Ohio Universities in the US and Cambridge University in the UK, discovered that higher levels of this protein accumulated in certain types of weak neurons whose cellular system lost its cleaning ability.
Researchers have long known that neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's affect certain cells, leaving nearby neurons intact. The reason behind this selectivity was hard to determine, but, the study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, found that a protein called "BAG3" is responsible for it.
In experiments on rats, the researchers manipulated the levels of this protein in the rodent' neurons and found that when the levels were reduced, the toxic protein accumulated. However, when they were increased, the neurons managed to get rid of it.
Karen Duff, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, said: "If we can develop therapies to support these natural defense mechanisms and stop tau from accumulating, we might be able to prevent, or at least slow, the development of Alzheimer's and other tau-related neurodegenerative diseases like Dementia."
According to the statistics of the World Health Organization, over 50 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's, and each year, 10 million new cases are registered, which emphasizes the importance of this research, especially when it proceeds from laboratory tests to clinical trials, according to Dr. Khalid Abdullah, neurosurgeon and consultant to the Egyptian Ministry of Health.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Dr. Abdullah said: "Until now, this disease has no cure or at least, a treatment that stops its gradual development, so any achievements in this field would be very useful."
