<< Back
Can a novel brain scan compound help researchers better understand how beta-amyloid is produced in early Alzheimer’s?
Anton Forsberg Morén
Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, Sweden
Background
The protein fragment beta-amyloid has long been studied as a key suspect molecule in Alzheimer’s. This fragment tends to accumulate into clumps called plaques, which may hinder nerve cell communication in the brain and lead to brain cell death. Beta-amyloid is produced from its parent molecule, amyloid precursor protein (APP), in a two-stage process. The enzyme Beta-secretase 1 (BACE1) begins the production process for beta-amyloid. Many research teams have studied whether blocking the activity of BACE1 could slow or prevent Alzheimer’s; these studies have either experienced side effects or are still ongoing. Recent studies suggest that beta-amyloid is present and maybe playing a role in early stage of Alzheimer’s, even before the loss of brain function is pronounced. Future studies, therefore, will need to focus on determining how beta-amyloid production changes during early stages of Alzheimer’s.
Research Plan
Using a new imaging brain scan tool, Dr. Anton Forsberg Morén and colleagues plan to determine BACE1 activity in the brains of two types of participants- 1) those who are cognitively unimpaired and 2) in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This information will help assess how BACE1 activity differs in MCI. The researcher’s brain scan technique will feature a special compound (named [18F]PF-06684511), which can attach itself to BACE1 and emit a signal that can help “highlight” BACE1’s activity in the brain scans. The researchers will then assess how BACE1 activity differs in MCI brains compared with the cognitively unimpaired brains.
Impact
The study results could shed new light on how beta-amyloid production changes in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. It could also lead to future studies using the special molecule in brain scans. Ultimately, such work could help produce effective therapies for Alzheimer’s.
Back to Top