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Infographic showing how neurodegenerative diseases have long been associated with aggregations of apparently toxic proteins
Infographic: Secret Lives of Neurodegeneration-Linked Proteins
Maligned peptides such as the Alzheimer’s-associated amyloid precursor protein may have critical roles in the healthy brain.
Infographic: Secret Lives of Neurodegeneration-Linked Proteins
Infographic: Secret Lives of Neurodegeneration-Linked Proteins

Maligned peptides such as the Alzheimer’s-associated amyloid precursor protein may have critical roles in the healthy brain.

Maligned peptides such as the Alzheimer’s-associated amyloid precursor protein may have critical roles in the healthy brain.

neurodegeneration, disease & medicine

Bespectacled man wearing black shirt with arms folded looks at camera in front of lab cabinet
Neuropathologist John Trojanowski Dies at 75
Lisa Winter | Mar 18, 2022 | 2 min read
His work was pivotal to understanding the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
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blue and white sign for the entrance to the FDA that says U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration
Biogen’s Alzheimer’s Drug Gets FDA Approval, Mixed Reviews
Kerry Grens | Jun 7, 2021 | 2 min read
A lackluster performance in clinical trials of the monoclonal antibody aducanumab has left some experts unconvinced of its benefit.
Eli Lilly Claims New Drug Can Slow Alzheimer’s-Related Decline
Lisa Winter | Mar 16, 2021 | 2 min read
Patients who received the drug fared better cognitively and functionally than those taking placebo, but still experienced losses in performance.
Reduced Adult Neurogenesis Linked with Alzheimer’s Disease
Abby Olena, PhD | Feb 1, 2021 | 6 min read
Manipulating the production of new neurons can improve cognition in animal models of the disease, raising the possibility that figuring out a way for humans to make more neurons could make a difference for people with dementia.
bace1 alzheimer's disease gga3 axon neuron
Alzheimer’s-Linked Mutation Causes Blockages in Neurons
Ian Le Guillou | Nov 20, 2020 | 3 min read
The variant causes a buildup of BACE1 protein in axons in cultured neurons and mice. Researchers say it might be time to rethink failed trials that inhibit BACE1 to treat the neurodegenerative disease.
a patient getting blood drawn for testing
First Alzheimer’s Blood Test Rolled Out for Clinical Use in US
Shawna Williams | Nov 2, 2020 | 4 min read
The test will be a cheaper and more accessible alternative to currently available diagnostic tools, researchers say.
New Drug Combo for ALS Slows Decline in Small Clinical Study
Jef Akst | Sep 3, 2020 | 3 min read
After six months, patients with fast-progressing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who had received the experimental treatment had less loss of function than those who received a placebo.
tau p-tau217 amyloid amyloid-beta alzheimer's disease blood test
Experimental Blood Test Could Flag Alzheimer’s
Kerry Grens | Jul 29, 2020 | 2 min read
New studies show that elevated levels of a form of tau called p-tau217 can accurately distinguish Alzheimer’s disease from other forms of dementia, and perhaps even predict it.
Alzheimer's Disease, Neurology, Influenza, Pneumonia, Vaccine, Pneumococcal, Immune System, Dementia
Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines Linked to Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s
Amanda Heidt | Jul 27, 2020 | 3 min read
The authors propose that the shots might keep the immune system primed to battle diseases that would otherwise contribute to cognitive decline.
Astrocyte-to-Neuron Method Reverses Neurodegeneration in Mice
Ruth Williams | Jun 24, 2020 | 4 min read
The cell conversion strategy restores neurons and motor functions lost as a result of an induced Parkinson’s-like illness in the animals.
herpes virus hhv6 hhv6a hhv6b alzheimer's disease
Study Finds No Association Between Herpes Virus and Alzheimer’s
Katarina Zimmer | Jan 23, 2020 | 5 min read
While the findings contradict previous studies that have linked human herpesvirus 6 to the neurodegenerative disease, they do not eliminate the possibility of a relationship.
The Scientist Infographics: Editor’s Picks of 2019
Jef Akst | Dec 18, 2019 | 3 min read
This year’s most beautiful illustrations covered topics including the molecular underpinnings of Parkinson’s disease and strategies for tracking marine organisms around the world’s oceans.
Interactive: Biomarkers in Blood Provide a Window into the Brain
Shawna Williams | Dec 1, 2019 | 1 min read
A look at some of the circulating molecules that may indicate various Alzheimer’s pathologies and serve as the bases of noninvasive tests for the disease.
The Hunt for a Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease
Shawna Williams | Dec 1, 2019 | 10 min read
Researchers hope circulating biomarkers will enable earlier detection and better monitoring of the neurodegenerative disorder—and perhaps help usher in new treatments.
oligomannate alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration microbiome seaweed drug approval china
China Approves Alzheimer’s Treatment that Targets the Microbiome
Kerry Grens | Nov 5, 2019 | 2 min read
Oligomannate, derived from a compound in seaweed, suppresses neural inflammation caused by gut bacteria in mice.
Is It Time to Rethink Parkinson’s Pathology?
Ashley Yeager | Oct 1, 2019 | 10+ min read
New evidence points to a waste-clearing problem in patients’ cells, rather than the accumulation of protein tangles, as the root cause of the neurodegenerative disease.
Infographic: How Air Pollution Could Affect the Brain
Catherine Offord | Oct 1, 2019 | 2 min read
Evidence is accumulating that breathing contaminated air might impair cognition.
Air Pollution May Damage People’s Brains
Catherine Offord | Oct 1, 2019 | 10+ min read
Contaminants in the atmosphere appear to have harmful effects on neurodevelopment and cognitive function.
Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease Linked to Highly Active Brains
Diana Kwon | Oct 1, 2019 | 5 min read
A growing body of evidence supports the theory that neural hyperactivity and hyperconnectivity precede the pathological changes that lead to neurodegeneration.
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