Problems With A Potential Alzheimer Disease Treatment

Most nerve cell axons are wrapped with a layer of myelin, which acts like an insulator of electrical wires to allow nerve impulses to travel more quickly to their destination. Riqiang Yan and colleagues studied mice with a deletion of the BACE1 gene to determine the effects of eliminating this enzyme. The thickness of the myelin sheath in these mice was reduced along axons throughout the brain and spinal cord. These effects were visible as early as 15 days following birth and lasted into adulthood. The authors show that under normal conditions BACE1 exerts its effect by activating neuregulin, a known participant in the initiation of myelination.

Behavioral testing also revealed that these mice exhibited lower pain thresholds and decreased grip strength - typical signs of demyelination. Although inhibition of BACE1 may be a viable candidate for reducing the conversion of amyloid precursor protein into the plaques deposits seen in Alzheimer disease, these results suggest that as a therapeutic technique, it should be approached with caution.

Author contact:

Riqiang Yan (Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA)
E-mail: yanr@ccf.org

Abstract available online.

(C) Nature Neuroscience press release.

Message posted by: Trevor M. D'Souza