Brain Mapping Breakthrough Offers New Insights into Alzheimer's Disease: Study
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Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington and the University of California-San Francisco have used a new brain-mapping technique to identify memory-related brain cells vulnerable to protein buildup, a key factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.
To understand why certain parts of the brain are more affected by Alzheimer's disease, researchers focused on tau, a protein that accumulates in brain cells and disrupts normal activity.
Using the MISS (Matrix Inversion and Subset Selection) mapping technique, which profiled approximately 1.3 million cells, the research team created detailed maps of different cell types in the brains of mice. They compared these maps to areas where tau builds up to identify which cell types are most affected.
Their findings are published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications Biology.
The researchers also discovered that oligodendrocytes, brain cells that help insulate nerve fibers, were less affected by tau. This suggests that these cells might help to protect the brain against tau buildup.
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