New molecule may stop Alzheimer’s from spreading

Published 9
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Fact checked by Jasmin Collier
A compound called cambinol shows great promise as a future Alzheimer’s drug. The molecule has halted the spread of the toxic brain protein tau in cell cultures and mice.

People living with Alzheimer’s may soon benefit from new drugs that can stop the disease from spreading throughout the brain.

A brain protein called tau is known to play a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Our brain cells have a “transport system” made of straight, parallel “roads,” along which food molecules, nutrients, and discarded parts of cells can travel.

In a healthy brain, the protein tau helps these tracks to stay straight. However, in Alzheimer’s, the protein builds up to abnormal levels, forming harmful structures called tangles.

Initially, these tangles form in brain areas key for memory formation, but as the disease progresses, the tangles continue to spread throughout the rest of the brain.

However, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) might now have found a way to stop the spread of these damaging tangles. more here: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321720.php