AI Generated Image
Scientists Discover How Alzheimer’s May Spread in Brain-And Way to Slow It
Newsweek • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at the University of Utah Health discovered that the brain protein Arc, which normally aids neuron communication, may facilitate the spread of Alzheimer's disease by carrying toxic Tau protein from damaged to healthy brain cells.
- The study found that Tau exploits Arc's extracellular vesicle system to move between neurons, suggesting that Alzheimer's progression involves hijacking normal synaptic signaling mechanisms.
- Experiments in mice showed that removing Arc reduced Tau transport and halted disease spread, but Arc also helps neurons expel toxic Tau early on, indicating that completely blocking Arc might be harmful.
- The findings highlight a potential therapeutic strategy focused on preventing Tau-carrying vesicles from entering healthy neurons while allowing damaged cells to remove toxic proteins.
- Extracellular vesicles containing Arc and Tau were also found in human brain tissue, supporting the relevance of this mechanism in people and offering a promising new target for treatments to slow Alzheimer's progression.
