Genetic ‘Switch’ Identifies as Potential Target for Alzheimer’s Disease

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A team at the MRC Clinical Sciences Center (CSC), based at Imperial College London, has found an important part of the machinery that switches on a gene known to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Working in collaboration with scientists at the Hong Kong University (HKU) and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, CSC associate professor Richard Festenstein explored the steps by which this Neuroglobin gene is gradually switched on, or up-regulated. Neuroglobin has previously been shown to protect against Alzheimer’s disease in mice in which is makes the protective Neuroglobin. It is thought that the gene might play a protective role early in the disease in patients, but appears to be down-regulated as the disease progresses. It may therefore prove useful in developing new ways to try to prevent or treat this common cause of dementia, for which there is currently no cure. To read more, click here.

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