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Alzheimer's Transmission Pathway Discovered

Posted by timothy on from the when-it's-all-greek-to-you dept.

smitty777 writes "Two separate studies by the Taub Institute and Harvard have discovered the pathway used by Alzheimer's Disease to spread through the brain. The studies indicate it's not a virus, but a distorted protein called Tau which moves from cell to cell. Further, the discovery 'may now offer scientists a way to move forward and develop a way to block tau's spread in Alzheimer's patients, said Karen Duff, a researcher at Columbia's Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's disease and co-author of one study published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One. "It's enlightening for us because it now provides a whole other area for potential therapeutic impact," said Duff. "It's possible that you can identify the disease and intervene (with potential tau-blocking drugs) before the dementia actually sets in."'"

6 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Does this mean? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does this suggest that it may be hazardous to produce soylent green from Alzheimer's casualties, in the same way that consumption of tissue from animals affected by prion disorders is considered unwise?

    1. Re:Does this mean? by SJHillman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Perhaps this is what makes soylent green so delicious? If so, then I consider it an acceptable risk.

    2. Re:Does this mean? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I've never heard of anything to suggest that Alzheimers can be "caught." A seminar I saw a few years ago on tau suggested that in order to form these aggregates of tau, you need to have a mutated form of it: normal tau does not start clumping up and killing brain cells (not entirely sure I'm remembering that correctly).

      Uh-oh! You better get tested for Tau proteins right away...

  2. I, for one.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our.. I, for one, welcome..

  3. Tau by Ihmhi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Xenoflesh in the human brain? Clearly the apothecaries have failed in purging this scum from our fellow men. The only solution is Exterminatus. The Emperor Protects!

    --
    Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
  4. Sure, it all starts well and good... by mj1856 · · Score: 4, Funny

    but next thing you know you're in a helicopter, shooting monkeys off the Golden Gate Bridge with a machine gun.