Significant new treatments for Alzheimer’s could be on the way after a stunning discovery by a team of researchers.
Scientists discovered how Alzheimer’s destroys brain connections, and important discovery as one of the first signs that the degenerative brain disease is looming for a patient is a loss of synapses, which connect the neurons in the brain, according to a Financial Express report.
The research was spearheaded by Dr. Vladimir Sytnyk of the University of New South Wales in Australia, who noted that synapses are necessary for all brain functions and are especially important for memories and learning, which are two notable things that go when someone comes down with Alzheimer’s.
The researchers have discovered a new molecular mechanism that is directly connected to this loss in synapses. This breakthrough discovery could allow doctors to spot the condition quicker as well as develop effective new treatments that could slow the progress of the disease.
The team focused on the neural cell adhesian molecule 2 (NCAM2), which is a protein in the brain. NCAM2 levels in the hippocampus portion of the brain were low in those who had Alzheimer’s, according to the report.
The hippocampus refers to the elongated ridges that are on the floor of the lateral ventricles within the brain. Scientists think the hippocampus is where things like emotion and memory, as well as the autonomic nervous system, are located.
Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that accounts to up to 70 percent of all cases of dementia. It’s a neurodegenerative disease that begins slowly with mild symptoms at first before progressing in severity. The early signs are difficulty in remembering recent events, but as the disease advances it begins to affect long-term memory as well as the ability to learn and use language. It can also result in mood swings, disorientation, and behavioral issues.