Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in people over 65 and affects more than 50 million people worldwide — a number that is expected to double in 20 years. University of Minnesota scientists are examining how specific cellular activity in the brain may increase vulnerability to Alzheimer’s, with findings that could offer new avenues for early detection and treatment.
In a study recently published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, College of Veterinary Medicine researchers Manci Li and Assistant Professor Peter Larsen looked at existing data from both Alzheimer’s brains and healthy brains to identify the key neuropeptides — the chemical messengers that are released by neurons — involved in Alzheimer’s. They also examined the relationship between neuropeptide activity and aging.