Potential therapeutic targets in misprocessed proteins

In dementias, nerve cells and the connections between them, die. Scientists believe that the abnormal accumulation of certain proteins within nerve cells are involved. In Alzheimer's disease, there are plaques of amyloid protein. In FTD, there is clumping of a protein called tau. Recently, scientists discovered that a protein called ubiquitin is involved in some cases of FTD. Researchers' long term goal is to determine the role of such proteins in the disease processes and, where appropriate, develop treatments that alter the structure or accumulation of the culprit proteins.

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UCSF Memory and Aging Center
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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Boxer
• brain
• alzheimer's
• frontotemporal
• dementia
• ftd
• ubiquitin
• memory
• aging
• ucsf