Inflammation in the brain is not a trigger that leads to
a build-up of Alzheimer's disease-causing amyloid-beta plaques. It could
actually be manipulated to cleanse the brain of those plaques, according to new
research.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Florida used “Somatic
Brain Transgenesis” to induce inflammation in the brains of laboratory mice
predisposed to develop Alzheimer's disease. Contrary to conventional wisdom,
the inflammation did not spur the development of amyloid-beta plaques. Rather,
it prevented the plaques from forming and cleared existing plaques. To confirm
the results, researchers conducted the experiment using several different
approaches. The results remained consistent.
Most people who study Alzheimer's disease believe that
inflammation of the brain causes the build-up of amyloid-beta plaques, which
are associated with the development of Alzheimer's, according to lead
researchers Pritam Das, Ph.D. By selectively manipulating brain inflammation,
researchers could develop an effective treatment for neurological disorders
associated with a buildup of proteins and plaques. The research appears in the
online issue of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Journal.