Principal Investigators


Ritchie Williamson

Institution


University of Bradford

Contact information of lead PI


Country


United Kingdom

Title of project or programme


Validation of an O-GlcNAcase inhibitor as a novel therapeutic agent against Alzheimer pathology

Source of funding information


Alzheimer's Research UK

Total sum awarded (Euro)


€ 27,837

Start date of award


20/03/2015

Total duration of award in years


1

Keywords


Research Abstract


The brain requires energy to function properly, supplied to the brain in the form of glucose, a type of sugar. However as we get older there is a decrease in the brain’s ability to use glucose, causing a decrease in the memory and conscious function of the brain. The decrease in the brain’s ability to use glucose is accelerated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) where it is evident prior to the diagnosis of dementia, suggesting that glucose related alterations may occur early in the development of AD. One way the brain uses glucose is to attach it to proteins, a modification called glycosylation. Glycosylation alters how proteins work and in AD brain there is a reduction in glycosylation. We have developed a way of preventing this reduction in glycosylation and the next step is to determine if preventing the reduction in the brain prevents the damaging alterations to brain proteins that occur as Alzheimer’s develops.

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