A new study by MIT researchers reveals new potential targets such as cellular pathways and genes that have not been previously linked to Alzheimer’s. These results may provide answers to why many of the drugs developed to target Alzheimer’s have not been as effective as promised.

As reported by MedicalExpress.com, Ernest Fraenkel, Health Services Professor at MIT’s Biological Engineering Department is the senior author of the new study. Prof. Fraenkel explained that the Harvard researchers used human data and data from fruit flies that identified cellular pathways related to neurodegeneration that had not been associated with Alzheimer’s previously. This allowed the team to identify additional pathways that may be contributing to Alzheimer’s.

Neurodegeneration

The National Institutes of Health refers to neurodegeneration as the progressive loss of neurons in the central nervous system.

Prof. Fraenkel explained that all recent evidence indicates that there are many different pathways that are involved in Alzheimer’s progression. This explains why it has been so difficult to create effective drugs. The professor indicated that a combination of treatments affecting different parts of Alzheimer’s is needed. The study was published in Nature Communications.

Past Decades

Many studies have been conducted over the last several decades suggesting that the buildup of amyloid plaques is part of the cascade of events leading to neurodegeneration. As a result, a few drugs have been developed that breakdown the plaques but thus far none have had a significant effect on the progression of the disorder.

Alternative pathways

Many scientists have switched their targets and are working to uncover other yet unknown mechanisms that might cause Alzheimer’s. The theory now is that one person may have several contributing factors.

Making the case for multiple causes of Alzheimer’s, Professor Fraenkel suggested that not only might the amyloid hypothesis be correct, if the researchers knew the other factors this might improve their chances of blocking or even reversing the course of the disease.

Prof. Fraenkel’s team joined Prof. Mel Feany of Harvard’s Medical School, who specializes in fruit fly genetics. Prof. Feany’ and the combined team were able to identify over 200 genes that impact neurodegeneration.The team analyzed the new data using algorithms developed by Prof. Fraenkel’s lab that have been used by the lab for several years.

The algorithms have proven valuable in distinguishing between:

• genes that may be involved in forming amyloid proteins versus
• genes exhibiting a similarity in pathways.

Prof. Fraenkel is anticipating the introduction of a few innovative systems that will allow the researchers to integrate extremely large amounts of data prompting new breakthroughs.