Alzheimer’s Breakthrough: Researchers Discover Novel Way To Potentially Halt Disease Progression

https://scitechdaily.com/alzheimers-breakthrough-researchers-discover-novel-way-to-potentially-halt-disease-progression/

This study focuses on the manipulation of the plexin-B1 protein to enhance the brain’s ability to clear amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, opening avenues for future therapeutic strategies to potentially halt the progression of the disease

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01664-w

162 points · 6 comments · view on lemmy.world

6 Comments

witty_username@feddit.nl · 32 pts · 2y (5 replies)

I'm surprised. As I understand it, the Alzheimer's field is starting to recognize that the plaques are likely a result of, rather than a cause of, the disease. And that the cause may be more related to a, potentially microglia related, inflammatory problem in the CNS

just_another_person@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 2y (3 replies)

There are sort of two paths in the research. Some are following the Amyloid Plaque route still. There was a bit of kerfuffle with some of the evidence in other studies which was the basis of this route: https://www.science.org/content/article/potential-fabrication-research-images-threatens-key-theory-alzheimers-disease

Once you're too far down one path of research, you pretty much can't stop, or you risk your entire career, evidence be damned.

witty_username@feddit.nl · 11 pts · 2y (1 reply)

Thanks, that was a good read. It is terrible that some researchers end up committing such scientific fraud. Although I am inclined to blame the involved researchers themselves, ultimately, I believe that inflexible (and insufficient) funding is the real culprit

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1y

No, there was plenty of money. It was narcissistic assholes trying to prove they earned a Nobel Prize.

SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1y

It's was the enshitification of US science and pharma. Mainly led by fraud, and very poor models of disease in mice. This paper is not different.

DigitalNirvana@lemm.ee · 8 pts · 2y

I suspect both methods will be necessary. Step A - clean up amyloid. Step B stop excess amyloid production.