NaCMedNeuropsychology & Complementary Medicine, Inc
  • HOME
  • Services Available
    • Walk In Concussion Clinic
    • Evaluations: what, who, why
    • Rehabilitation: Stroke, Brain injury, Concussion
    • Horse / Hippa Therapy
    • Adult Assessments >
      • What to expect, what to bring
      • Memory, Attention, Behaviors & Mood
      • Psychotherapy
    • Pediatrics & Adolescents >
      • What to expect, what to bring
  • Definitions & Symptoms
  • Rehabilitation
  • Office Info
    • Practitioners & Staff
    • Forms >
      • Patient Intake Forms
      • Referrer Forms
    • Map & Directons
    • Billing and Insurance
    • Contact Form
    • Inclement Weather Information
  • Hours & Weather Policies

Alzheimer's Cure May Be A Matter of Size

11/2/2012

0 Comments

 
Original Article Published: 22 August 2012
Size really does matter according to scientists looking for ways to cure Alzheimer's disease.

Research conducted by scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at The University of Queensland (UQ) and Harvard University, has led to the discovery that treatment for Alzheimer's disease may lie in modifying the length of subcellular structures in the brain responsible for metabolizing energy, mitochondria.

The study found in cases where the mitochondria were abnormally long, they had a toxic effect inducing cell death.

Director, Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR) at QBI and co-author of the paper, Professor Jürgen Götz, said:

“Alzheimer's disease belongs to a group of neurodegenerative diseases termed ‘tauopathies', charaterised by clumps of the protein tau inside neurons.

“In instances where neurons express toxic levels of human tau, the mitochondria are elongated.

“All cells rely on mitochondria for energy metabolism, and neurons in particular, so controlling the length of these subcellular structures is very important for brain function.”

The research provides novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

“Treatments currently available for these diseases have at most modest effects, in part due to our limited understanding of how Alzheimer's disease starts and progresses,” Professor Götz said.

The good news is, genetic and drug interventions aimed at reducing mitochondrial length reverse the toxic effects of tau, and can now get underway.

“An aspect of mitochondrial regulation that is being increasingly appreciated are changes in size and shape of the organelle, through a process termed 'mitochondrial dynamics',” Professor Götz said.

Alzheimer's disease affects almost 280,000 Australians. This number grows by 1,600 each week and is expected to reach over 1 million people by 2050 .

Interview talent: Prof. Jürgen Götz
Foundation Chair of Dementia Research
Director, Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR) at the Queensland
Brain Institute (QBI), The University of Queensland
j.goetz@uq.edu.au

Media contact: Mikaeli Costello
Communications Manager
Queensland Brain Institute
0401 580 685
Mikaeli.costello@uq.edu.au
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    August 2013
    April 2013
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    Causes & Diagnosis
    New Research
    Prevention
    Support Groups
    Treatment

    RSS Feed

Powered by
✕