Alzheimer’s: observing protein aggregates to refine the diagnosis

The tau protein, a valuable marker for better understanding neurodegenerative diseases. A new study published in the journal Neuron reveals how the observation of this protein involved in Alzheimer’s disease could considerably refine the diagnosis and prevention of the pathology.

According to the work of Peter O’Donnell Jr. of the Brain Institute, the structure of the aggregates of tau protein that form in brains with degeneration helps determine when dementia will occur, which areas of the brain will be affected, and how the disease will develop. .

18 different structures

This study would explain the diversity of types of dementia linked to aggregates of tau protein, which destroys brain cells in patients with Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases.

To achieve these results, the researchers reproduced 18 aggregates of tau proteins with different structures, corresponding to various pathologies (Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal dementia, traumatic encephalopathy, etc.), which they subsequently inoculated into the brain of rodents.

The different forms of aggregates caused pathologies that developed at different stages and affected specific regions of the brain. Experience thus shows that the structure of pau protein aggregates alone can explain most of the variations observed in humans suffering from degenerative diseases linked to this protein.

Single strategy is ineffective

For the authors, this work makes it possible to lift the veil on one of the unknowns of these neurodegenerative pathologies: their rate of evolution and their location. They also have the merit of pointing out the need, and the possibility, of developing more precise treatments against these diseases.

“Our results indicate that a single therapeutic strategy may be ineffective and that we should develop clinical trials and molecules with knowledge of the protein aggregates we are targeting.”