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| Researchers have identified a new clue that could lead to more accurate diagnoses in patients with Alzheimer's symptoms. (Source: Nature) |
In Alzheimer's disease, a protein called "tau" plays a central role in triggering symptoms, by accumulating in nerve cells as aggregates that spread throughout the brain. But until now, the disease could only be confirmed after an autopsy.
UCL researchers have identified a new clue that could allow for more accurate diagnosis in patients with these symptoms, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications .
Because the disease is currently developing in abnormal areas of the brain, this distorts the diagnosis and therefore does not allow for appropriate treatment.
A team of scientists from the Institute of Neuroscience and the Duve Institute at UCL, led by Professor Bernard Hanseeuw, compared synthetic 'tau' protein and the same soluble form of the protein because in this form the protein has the advantage of being able to be characterised throughout the patient's life and this is diagnosed by spinal tap.
This research was made possible by a powerful tool available at UCL’s Duve Institute, mass spectrometry, which can characterise proteins. The research confirms that the problem with neurodegenerative diseases is the removal or modification of proteins after they have been produced. This opens the way to developing a biomarker, which can be used for diagnosis, but also to identify what modifications cause the protein to aggregate.
The discovery opens up new therapeutic avenues for Alzheimer's patients.
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