 |
| Researchers have just identified a new clue that could allow for more accurate diagnoses in patients with Alzheimer's symptoms. (Source: Nature) |
In Alzheimer's disease, a protein called "tau" plays a central role in triggering symptoms by accumulating in nerve cells in clusters that spread throughout the brain. But until now, the disease could only be confirmed after an autopsy.
According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications , UCL researchers have just identified a new clue that will allow for more accurate diagnosis in patients with these symptoms.
Because the disease is currently developing in abnormal areas of the brain, this distorts the diagnosis and therefore prevents the application of appropriate treatment.
A team of scientists from the Institute of Neuroscience and the Duve Institute at UCL, led by Professor Bernard Hanseeuw, compared the synthetic "tau" protein with the same soluble protein because, in its soluble form, the protein has the advantage of being able to be characterized throughout the patient's life, and this diagnosis can be made by lumbar puncture.
This research was made possible by a powerful tool already available at UCL's Duve Institute, mass spectrometry, which is capable of characterizing proteins. The study confirmed that the problem with neurodegenerative diseases is due to the removal or alteration of proteins after they are produced. This opens the way for the development of a biomarker, which could be used for diagnosis, but also to identify which modifications cause this protein to synthesize.
This discovery opens up new treatment avenues for Alzheimer's patients.
Source
Comment (0)