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Potential root cause of Alzheimer’s may have just been discovered
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- A study from the Institute of Basic Science in South Korea suggests that abnormal activation of the ERBB4 receptor protein in excitatory neurons may link nerve cell changes to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
- Researchers found that in Alzheimer's, ERBB4, normally present in inhibitory neurons, appears in excitatory neurons, causing nerve cell hyperactivity and disrupting the balance of brain signals.
- Gene-editing to remove ERBB4 receptors in the hippocampus of mice reduced nerve cell overactivity, decreased brain plaque buildup, and improved memory and spatial cognition.
- Activating ERBB4 in excitatory neurons of healthy mice induced brain hyperactivity and cognitive problems, while analysis of human brain tissue showed elevated ERBB4 expression in Alzheimer's-affected neurons.
- The study identifies aberrant ERBB4 expression as an early driver of Alzheimer's pathology and a promising target for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.
