Another View of Alzheimer's Research

The amyloid and tau focus of Alzheimer's research is not universal in the scientific community. From the NYAS: "the well-characterized buildup of amyloid plaques and tangles of tau are not the only biochemical phenomena wrought by this neurodegenerative disease. And this line of investigation, while able to clarify many of the mechanisms that lead to the pathological activity of these proteins, has yet to produce a new drug that successfully treats the disease. ... Aaron Chuang of GlaxoSmithKline characterized this intellectual history of [Alzheimer's disease (AD)] research by referring to a proverb: A frog that grows up in the bottom of a well believes the little sliver of sky he sees is the whole world. Along these lines, the little that we've known about AD until recently has limited the questions that we've asked. While [amyloid beta] and tau are certainly important in the disease, the etiology and mechanisms of AD are probably much broader. Other approaches to thinking about the disease may be essential to unearth new insights and strategies for drug therapies."

Link: http://www.nyas.org/ebriefreps/main.asp?intEBriefID=669

Comment Submission

Post a comment; thoughtful, considered opinions are valued. New comments can be edited for a few minutes following submission. Comments incorporating ad hominem attacks, advertising, and other forms of inappropriate behavior are likely to be deleted.

Note that there is a comment feed for those who like to keep up with conversations.