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Project

The peripheral component of neurodegeneration: response to and transmission of host-derived and microbial amyloid proteins in the enteric nervous system.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently affects 1 in 9 individuals over 65 years of age but its prevalence will only rise against the background of a steadily greying population. With no cure currently available and diagnosis relying on the assessment of late-stage cognitive decline, it is imperative that novel early medical entry points are explored through original fundamental research. Recent insights suggest that the gut may be a vulnerable node for amyloid-driven neurodegeneration. That is why we want to define the origin, entry routes and spreading behaviour of amyloid proteins in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Using innovative imaging technologies and well-defined molecular analyses, we will shed light on a novel gut-brain relationship with relevance for future (pre-)clinical research. As the gut represents a unique, minimally invasive window to assess neuropathology, our work may spark the development of early biomarkers that directly report on disease progression in AD-patients. Moreover, confirming the notion that microbial-derived amyloids could represent a putative trigger for pathology may cause a paradigm shift for AD therapy."
Date:1 Jan 2018 →  31 Dec 2021
Keywords:ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, NEURODEGENERATION
Disciplines:Animal cell and molecular biology, Animal morphology, anatomy and physiology, Molecular and cell biology not elsewhere classified, Gastro-enterology, Neuroanatomy, Neurological and neuromuscular diseases, Neurophysiology, Neuroimaging