The enzyme degrades anti-inflammatory fatty acids in the brain. Blocking it with a brain-penetrant small molecule calmed A1 astrocytes, synapse-eating microglia, and improved amyloidosis and cognition in a mouse model.
Three young monkeys missing exon 9 of presenilin 1 seem to have an elevated Aβ42/40 ratio. It remains to be seen if they will develop plaques and tangles as they age.
Quite independently of what it does to Aβ or tau, ApoE4 stokes α-synuclein pathology in mouse models. People with Lewy body dementia who carry ApoE4 had more phosphorylated synuclein in their brains, and their cognition declined faster.
Centenarians who scored high on the MMSE stayed cognitively and physically active over the next two years, even if they carried genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s. What protects these lucky few?
Researchers identify a way to isolate human astrocytes generated from induced pluripotent stem cells. And astrocytes stand out in FTD-prone brain areas.