Scientists Study Brain Proteins to Understand Alzheimer’s Disease
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are investigating if certain brain proteins are involved in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a condition that affects thinking and memory, impacting nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older. It causes more deaths than breast and prostate cancer combined.
Earlier studies suggest that Alzheimer’s may start when the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the brain, weakens. This weakening allows toxic substances to enter the brain, potentially leading to Alzheimer’s.
The new study, supported by the NIH, will examine the role of Eph receptors, proteins initially studied by Professor Bing-Cheng Wang for their role in brain development and cancer. These proteins mediate various cell interactions and may be involved in the BBB’s disintegration, crucial for protecting the brain during strokes and early Alzheimer’s stages.
Professor Matthias Buck and his team at Case Western Reserve have been studying Eph receptors for 15 years. They are collaborating with researchers from Texas Tech University, the University of Tennessee, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to study how these proteins behave in living cells and understand their structure using advanced techniques.
Professor Buck stated, “Alzheimer’s is very complex, which is why this project requires a collaboration of special skills. We plan to enlist more local and national partners as this research gains momentum. We anticipate this research will result in discoveries that will one day make it possible to treat an illness that impacts millions of people worldwide.”
Doubts Revealed
Alzheimer’s Disease -: Alzheimer’s Disease is a condition that affects the brain, making it hard for people to remember things and think clearly. It mostly happens to older people.
Case Western Reserve University -: Case Western Reserve University is a school in the United States where people study and do research to learn new things.
NIH -: NIH stands for National Institutes of Health. It’s a part of the U.S. government that helps pay for medical research to keep people healthy.
Eph receptors -: Eph receptors are special parts of brain cells that help them talk to each other. Scientists think they might be important in Alzheimer’s Disease.
blood-brain barrier -: The blood-brain barrier is like a shield around the brain that keeps harmful stuff out. If it gets weak, bad things can get into the brain and cause problems.
Texas Tech University -: Texas Tech University is another school in the United States where people study and do research.
University of Tennessee -: The University of Tennessee is a school in the United States where people learn and do research.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center -: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is a place in the United States where doctors and scientists work to treat and study cancer.
7 million Americans -: This means that about 7 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s Disease.