Another Alzheimer’s Mechanism

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The biochemistry of Alzheimer's is complex indeed, as illustrated by the fact that after 10 years of massive funding, researchers are still uncovering and debating the significance of possible mechanisms and causes. "The emerging lesson is that cognitive problems in [Alzheimer's] are related to defects in the machinery controlling neuronal connections, not the lesions observed by pathologists ... This new study implicates the PAK enzyme-signaling pathway, which is known to play a role in synapse formation and developmental cognitive deficits, or mental retardation. The PAK enzymes form a family that includes two members known to localize to synapses (PAK1 and PAK3). Both are known to play critical roles in learning and memory. Humans with genetic loss of PAK3 have severe mental retardation. Both PAK1 and PAK3 are abnormally distributed and reduced in Alzheimer patients to an extent sufficient to contribute to cognitive decline."

Link: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=36671