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How do the brain’s nerve cell connections become damaged in the early stages of Alzheimer’s?
Boris Gutman
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL - United States
Background
The brain contains two major types of matter: the “grey matter” that includes bodies of nerve cells and the “white matter” that contains the bodies of nerve fibers and regions where fibers send signal to other fibers and form connections for the brain’s “wiring system” (or “connectome”). Nerve cells use white matter to communicate with one another. According to past studies, white matter damage may occur early in Alzheimer’s. Researchers are therefore, looking to identify factors involved in this damage —known as “disconnectome markers.”
Research Plan
Dr. Boris Gutman and colleagues will examine how white matter becomes impaired in early Alzheimer’s. They will use a brain scan method called “diffusion magnetic resonance imaging” (dMRI) to identify white matter damage in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Such damage includes the loss of myelin, a substance that forms a protective covering over white matter and enables it to function properly. The researchers will then use sophisticated techniques from computer science to predict how such damage may be linked to dementia. Lastly, Dr. Gutman’s team will utilize another type of brain scan (positron emission tomography (PET)) to measure levels of beta-amyloid in the white matter of these participants. Beta-amyloid accumulates in Alzheimer’s as a key hallmark brain characteristic.
Impact
Dr. Gutman’s study will provide new information on how gradual white matter loss may affect the development of memory changes seen in Alzheimer’s. Ultimately, such work could lead to novel therapies and biomarkers for Alzheimer’s at an early stage, before memory loss and other clinical symptoms arise.
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