Neuroscientists at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have identified a protein in the brain, called Vav, which regulates a cascade of oxidative damage that ultimately leads to Alzheimer's disease.

"We have recently shown that microglia employ a multi-receptor cell surface complex to detect and respond to amyloid "beta fibrils," the researchers write. "These receptor elements act in concert to stimulate intercellular signaling Cascades as well as initiate a novel type of phagocytosis (cell death) in microglia."

"Vav has been found to be the key regulatory element within the intercellular signaling cascade."

The authors, whose results were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, say that these findings can be a basis for "developing new drugs that specifically target the component causing the most destruction and decreasing the possibility of injuring or interrupting other biological processes". Read the full report from Medical News Today.

[Image: Bob Morreale, American Health Assistance Foundation]