Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease that are characterized by the deposition of aggregates of the tau protein inside brain cells. A new study reveals that the cutting of tau by an enzyme called caspase-2 may play a critical role in the disordered brain circuit function that occurs in these diseases. Of interest, the culprit tau fragment identified in this study is actually resistant to forming aggregates, and it causes a disturbance in memory function in animal models before brain cell loss occurs.

“The results of this exciting study suggest that the cognitive loss that occurs in tauopathy may be reversed by blocking the function of caspase-2,” said Roderick A. Corriveau, Ph.D., a program director at NINDS. “This motivates further investigation of caspase-2 as a novel therapeutic target for dementia.”

Related posts:

  1. Medicare Card, In-sync brain waves hold memory of objects just seen Medicare Card, In-sync brain waves hold memory of objects just seen...
  2. Medicare Card, Speeding up brain’s waste disposal may slow down neurodegenerative diseases Medicare Card, Speeding up brain’s waste disposal may slow down neurodegenerative diseases...
  3. Investigators discover new mechanism that may be important for learning and memory New findings in mice suggest that the timing when the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is released in the brain’s hippocampus may play a key role in regulating the strength of nerve cell connections, called synapses. Understanding the complex nature of neuronal signaling at synapses could lead to better understanding of learning and memory, and novel treatments for […]...
  4. Medicare Card, Repurposed experimental cancer drug restores brain function in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease Scientists have found that a compound originally developed as a cancer therapy potentially could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The team demonstrated that the drug, saracatinib, restores memory loss and reverses brain problems in mouse models of Alzheimer’s, and now the researchers are testing saracatinib’s effectiveness in humans. The study was funded by the […]...
  5. Medicare Card, Monthly blood transfusions reduce sickle cell anemia-related brain injury in children Medicare Card, Monthly blood transfusions reduce sickle cell anemia-related brain injury in children...
  6. Medicare Card, Turn Down the Sound to Reduce your Chances for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Medicare Card, Turn Down the Sound to Reduce your Chances for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss...
  7. Little-known growth factor enhances memory, prevents forgetting in rats A naturally occurring growth factor significantly boosted retention and prevented forgetting of a fear memory when injected into rats’ memory circuitry during time-limited windows when memories become fragile and changeable. In the study funded by the National Institutes of Health, animals treated with insulin-like growth factor (IGF-II) excelled at remembering to avoid a location where […]...
  8. Medicare Card, NIH study finds Aspirin Does Not Prevent Pregnancy Loss A daily low dose of aspirin does not appear to prevent subsequent pregnancy loss among women with a history of one or two prior pregnancy losses, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health. However, in a smaller group of women who had experienced a single recent pregnancy loss, aspirin increased the likelihood of […]...
  9. Medicare Card, Weight loss does not lower heart disease risk from type 2 diabetes Medicare Card, Weight loss does not lower heart disease risk from type 2 diabetes...
  10. Medicare Card, NIH study finds calorie restriction lowers some risk factors for age-related diseases Medicare Card, NIH study finds calorie restriction lowers some risk factors for age-related diseases...
  11. Medicare Card, Brain stimulation limits calories consumed in adults with obesity Medicare Card, Brain stimulation limits calories consumed in adults with obesity...
  12. Medicare Card, New NIH-funded memory drug moves into Phase 1 clinical study Medicare Card, New NIH-funded memory drug moves into Phase 1 clinical study...
  13. Medicare Finds Independent Panel to Present Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline Prevention Findings on Wednesday, April 28; Telebriefing for Media to Follow For many older adults, cognitive health and performance remain stable, with only a gradual and slight decline in short-term memory and reaction times. Others, however, progress into a more serious state of cognitive impairment or into various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. ...
  14. Medicare, NIH-Supported Study, Looks for Earliest Changes, in the Brain That May Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease Volunteers are being sought for a clinical study examining the subtle changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear. Researchers are looking for people with the very earliest complaints of memory problems that affect their daily activities. The study will follow participants over […]...
  15. Medicare Card, NIH-led effort details global brain disorders research agenda in Nature supplement Medicare Card, NIH-led effort details global brain disorders research agenda in Nature supplement...