Principal Investigators


Tara Spires-Jones

Institution


University of Edinburgh

Contact information of lead PI


Country


United Kingdom

Title of project or programme


Targeting tau to prevent Abeta mediated synapse degeneration in Alzheimer’s

Source of funding information


Alzheimer's Research UK

Total sum awarded (Euro)


€ 609,025

Start date of award


01/11/2013

Total duration of award in years


4.0

The project/programme is most relevant to:


Alzheimer's disease & other dementias

Keywords


Research Abstract


Memory is made possible by the ability of synapses, the connections between neurons in the brain, to change in response to environmental inputs.  In Alzheimer’s disease, memory declines because synapses and neurons become dysfunctional and die.  In fact, loss of synapses very strongly corresponds to the severity of dementia in Alzheimer’s patients. The goal of this project is to find out whether the two key disease-causing proteins in Alzheimer’s – amyloid beta and tau – act together to cause this synaptic degeneration.   Further, we will test whether therapeutic treatments to reduce tau levels in the brain can halt memory and synapse loss. This study is important, as it will provide new insights into mechanisms of synapse loss in Alzheimer’s and should lead to new therapies to treat this debilitating disease.

Lay Summary


Further information available at:

Export as PDF