Newly discovered compound may target Alzheimer’s

January 23, 2019

Researchers from Yale’s Strittmatter Laboratory have discovered a molecular compound that reverses memory deficits in genetically modified mice, opening new pathways for the development of pharmaceutical therapies targeting Alzheimer’s disease.

Injecting mouse embryos with a gene known to cause Alzheimer’s in humans produces a strain of mice that exhibit symptoms mimicking the early stages of the disease. In particular, damage to synapses — links between neurons that allow them to exchange information — leads to reduced performance on memory tasks in affected mice. Continue reading…