More and more studies suggest that infections may be an important cause of dementia and possibly brain aging more generally. The most convincing evidence exists for herpesviruses, which “hibernate” in the nervous system. Recently, an innovative causal approach in data from the United Kingdom has been used to suggest that shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination prevents or delays dementia. To further investigate this, a clinical trial would be needed, but this is costly and time-consuming.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by progressive motor deficits such as tremor, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement, affecting six million people worldwide. Despite ongoing efforts to discover the mechanisms underlying this disease, PD remains an incurable disorder. Major challenges include tremendous heterogeneity in disease progression and severity, as well as a lack of reliable, scalable in vitro models to find new therapeutic targets.
Current treatments for neurodegenerative disorders (proteinopathies) offer limited efficacy and typically target specific genetic forms. The goal of this research project is to discover targets shared across proteinopathies and advance the development of early diagnostic/prognostic tools and disease-modifying pan-proteinopathy approaches.
Recent data suggest that increased circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to clear the brain and spinal cord of waste is associated with improved outcomes in aging and recovery from brain injury, suggesting that inducing CSF clearing could enhance brain resilience. However, a therapeutic modality for directly inducing CSF clearing has not been available. Recently, this research team has shown that a low-intensity, noninvasive therapeutic ultrasound protocol increases CSF clearing in rodents.
Myelin, traditionally thought of as the brain's electrical insulator, has emerged as an active and dynamic regulator of brain functions including neuroprotection, learning, and memory. Myelin dysfunction and loss is increasingly found to be central to brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's. However, the causes of myelin dysfunction and loss in the aged or diseased brain remain unknown, precluding therapies to promote its preservation and proper function.
A team of neuroscientists at the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience have zeroed in on a critical regulator of brain metabolism that may be over-activated in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
The intricate workings of signaling pathways are well-established with regard to neurodevelopment. Yet, the implications of these pathways for sustaining brain health and resilience during the aging process are not clear. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a system of particular interest due to its dual role in both early development and its lesser-known functions in adult tissue regulation and repair. Their previous research has demonstrated roles of the Hh pathway beyond embryonic development, indicating its active involvement in the regeneration of adult tissues.
The Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience will host a "lab meeting style" seminar series to bring together awardees, affiliated professors, and students. Two speakers will discuss their brain resilience research, field experience, and answer questions about their work.
The drug, Kisunla, made by Eli Lilly, is the latest in a new class of treatments that could modestly slow cognitive decline in initial stages of the disease, but which also carry safety risks according to Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience Affiliate Mike Greicius and others.
The Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience will host a "lab meeting style" seminar series to bring together awardees, affiliated professors, and students. Two speakers will discuss their brain resilience research, field experience, and answer questions about their work.