For the first time, researchers have discovered how beta-amyloid, the toxic protein that is often found in Alzheimer’s patients’ brains, affects the brain before symptoms of memory loss appear.
With recent clinical trials targeting beta-amyloid failing, the team of researchers from Technische Universität München in Germany wanted to better understand exactly how the protein impacts neurons.
“It’s crucial that we detect and treat the disease much earlier. We therefore focused on hyperactive neurons, which occur at a very early stage — long before patients develop memory loss,” said Professor Arthur Konnerth, Hertie Senior Professor of Neuroscience at the TUM.
Hyperactivation leads neurons that are connected to one another to receive false signals that can impact the brain.
Read the full article from Being Patient.
