A team of university UK researchers have discovered what could potentially lead to a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common types of dementia, which is characterized by the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory. A serious degenerative disease, Alzheimer's disease remains to be one of the main causes of death in the United States. Among the list, it is the only one that cannot be prevented or slowed down. It also doesn't have any cure.
Previous studies have shown that Alzheimer's disease is linked to a buildup of beta amyloid deposits, a kind of protein that forms into clusters and behaves abnormally that it isn't broken down unlike regular proteins. They can attach themselves into the nerves of the brain, for example, which can then lead to nerve death. Once this process begins, it is already irreversible.
The new research, meanwhile, works on synapses, a structure in the central nervous system that allows two neurons to communicate. It can be likened to a bridge that permits either chemical or electrical signal to pass between the linked neurons.
According to the study, synapses are necessary for the cognitive function and creation of memory in the brain, which then suggests that if a person has Alzheimer's, these structures may also be negatively impacted.
By studying the brain tissues of those who died of Alzheimer's disease and mice model, the team learned that the synaptic level of a protein called neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2) is lower among those who have the disease. The loss can begin even during the early stages of the disease.
From this knowledge, the researchers think that a treatment that can focus on how to prevent or slow down the reduction of NCAM2 level in the hippocampus may eventually manage Alzheimer's disease.
The study is now available in Nature Communications.