- A novel intranasal antibody treatment shows potential in fighting tau protein buildup, which is a key factor in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
- A single dose of this treatment in aged mice with tau pathology significantly reduced tau accumulation and improved cognitive function.
- This approach could pave the way for new therapies targeting tau-related neurodegenerative conditions.
Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch have recently announced a novel method of combating neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
They have revealed a pioneering nasal spray treatment that has demonstrated effectiveness in eliminating harmful tau protein accumulation and enhancing cognitive abilities in aged mouse models suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.
Their study results appear in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Like other forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease results from the death of brain cells, making it a neurodegenerative condition characterized by gradual brain cell loss.
Tau is a protein associated with microtubules in the human brain, aiding in the stabilisation of microtubules, which are important for maintaining the cell’s shape and organisation in neurons.
In a healthy brain, tau proteins ensure proper cellular order.
However, in neurodegenerative diseases, tau proteins can become abnormally twisted, forming tangles that interfere with neuronal function and cause cognitive decline.
In individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, the brain tissue progressively loses nerve cells and connections, while small deposits called plaques and tangles accumulate on the nerve tissue.
Plaques, composed of a protein called beta-amyloid, form between dying brain cells, while tangles, made up of tau, develop within the nerve cells.
The exact cause of these changes remains unclear, though multiple factors may contribute to their occurrence.
Existing tau immunotherapies have faced challenges in…
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