New Alzheimer's Research
Nice work by the Buck Institute researchers, reported in Newswise: "There are approximately 200 mice at the Buck Institute that should have the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). But these mice, despite the fact that their brains are loaded with the sticky deposits commonly associated with the neurodegenerative disease, have normal memories, and show no signs of the brain shrinkage and neuron damage commonly associated with AD. ... Buck scientists saved the mice from their prescribed fate by a blocking a newly discovered molecular pathway ... AD may be a more subtle disease, which develops when the normal process of nerve signaling goes out of balance. The alteration we produced allowed normal neuron connections to occur, even in the presence of the senile plaques."