Wednesday, March 22, 2006
A Different View on Alzheimers
Much of the research into Alzheimers Disease focuses on the beta amyloid protein, which builds up in the brains of AD patients (it's still not totally clear whether it's a primary cause or a symptom), and how/why it is overproduced.
A study from Purdue suggests that overproduction may not be the problem - instead, it's possible that underclearance is. They've also discovered a new place that clearance happens: at the choroid plexus. This body, part of the brain's vascular system, acts as filter for things coming in to the brain, but the new research suggests that it also helps clear thing out.
This is really cool, not only because it may provide a totally new target for intervention in AD, but also because it's yet another reminder that there is so much more going on with every organ in our bodies than we can even imagine.
A study from Purdue suggests that overproduction may not be the problem - instead, it's possible that underclearance is. They've also discovered a new place that clearance happens: at the choroid plexus. This body, part of the brain's vascular system, acts as filter for things coming in to the brain, but the new research suggests that it also helps clear thing out.
This is really cool, not only because it may provide a totally new target for intervention in AD, but also because it's yet another reminder that there is so much more going on with every organ in our bodies than we can even imagine.
