Compounds have potential for diagnosis, treatment of Alzheimer's disease

COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research suggests that a select group of compounds that interact with a protein in the brain might be used in the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia disorders. Scientists have discovered that these compounds interact in three specific ways with the tau protein, which is the subject of a growing body of research into the causes and progression of dementia. In a normal, healthy brain, the tau protein binds to and stabilizes structures in the brain that are essential for proper functioning. But tau protein that breaks away from these structures can begin forming long strands called filaments. These filaments can clump into tangles, which are a marker of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Depending on the specific compounds under study, they can... [read full story]