Stress-Linked Protein May Play Major Role in Alzheimer's

-> Stress-Linked Protein May Play Major Role in Alzheimer's
(HealthDay News) — Dysfunction in the brain's stress response system may be an important factor in the memory and thinking problems experienced by people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, according to a report published online March 19 in Nature.

Harvard researchers found that when the system is working normally, it can protect the brain from Alzheimer's-related proteins. But if it malfunctions, important areas of the brain begin to deteriorate, The New York Times reported. Specifically, a protein called REST helps protect brain cells in healthy seniors from aging-related stresses, but levels of the protein are much lower in important brain regions in people with Alzheimer's and other dementias. The protein could offer a target for the development of new drugs for dementias, according to The Times