Scientists Identify What Drives Alzheimer's Progress in the Brain

Scientists Identify , What Drives Alzheimer's , Progress in the Brain.

'The Independent' reports that scientists have identified what drives the progression of Alzheimer’s within the brain.

The discovery reportedly offers hope that new treatments could be developed that can fight the disease.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that toxic clumps of protein accumulate in different areas of the brain simultaneously.

These clusters, referred to as aggregates, reportedly cause cells to die and the brain to shrink.

According to 'The Independent,' the result is memory loss, personality changes and difficulty performing daily functions.

The team found that the rate of progression is determined by the replication of aggregates in the brain.

According to the research, the speed at which aggregates can kill the brain’s cells determines the overall speed of the disease's progression.

Neurons are surprisingly good at stopping aggregates from forming, but we need to find ways to make them even better if we’re going to develop an effective treatment, Professor Sir David Klenerman, study co-author, U.K. Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, via 'The Independent'.

The researchers say the discovery could lead to new treatments for the disease which affects an estimated 44 million people worldwide.

The research was published in the journal 'Science Advances.'