Kinase p38y

Role of Key Protein in Alzheimer’s Development Discovered

Summary: Kinase p38y, a protein lost as Alzheimer’s progresses, appears to have a protective effect against memory deficits associated with the disease when it is reintroduced into the brains of mice, a new study reports.

Source: University of New South Wales.

Discovery opens door to new Alzheimer’s treatments.

Australian researchers have shed new light on the nerve cell processes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), overturning previously held ideas of how the disease develops and opening the door to new treatment options that could halt or slow its progression.

The study is published today in the prestigious journal Science.

Studying human brain tissue, the UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia research team identified a protein, kinase p38γ, which is lost as AD progresses. When they reintroduced the protein into the brains of mice, it was shown to have a protective effect against memory deficits associated with the disease.

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These are neurons in culture dishes. The colors highlight the human tau protein in green, a structural component in red and the DNA inside the cell nucleus in blue. NeuroscienceNews.com image is credited to UNSW/Lars Ittner.