Woodgett, James (Jim) RSt. George-Hyslop, Peter H; Zhang, Wandong
Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto)
Canada
Investigation of the roles of GSK-3 isoforms in mediating Abeta, tau and insulin related Alzheimer-like synaptic, cholinergic impairments
CIHR
€ 650,000
01/01/2013
4.0
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
cell culture| electrophysiology| mouse model| neuroanatomy| neurobehaviour| signal transduction| transgenic/knockout
Alzheimer’s Disease affects over 26 million worldwide and is projected to affect at least four times as many by 2050, as a consequence of our aging populations. The current therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease help slow progression in some patients but the development of the disease is relentless and its fatal outcome, unavoidable. In this application, teams of researchers in Canada and China have combined their unique biological tools and expertise to ask definitive questions about the role of two particular proteins that have previously been implicated in promoting some of the damage found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. The proposed studies will employ sophisticated, genetically engineered mouse models to examine the role of these two proteins and testing whether neurological functions can be protected by blocking their action. Ultimately, the team expects to devise new tests and therapies that allow earlier evaluation and more effective intervention in this devastating disease.