2012April9Event

Science Café Cleveland presents

Remembrance of Things Past:

Reversing the Causes of Memory Loss That Characterizes Alzheimer's Disease

APRIL 9, 2012

FEATURING:

Gary Landreth, PhD

Professor of Neurosciences and Neurology

Director, Alzheimer Research Laboratory, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine

and

Paige Cramer, PhD candidate

Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine

EVENT INFORMATION:

The most common form of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) occurs sporadically late in life and is typified by the deposition of something known as a β-amyloid (Aβ) within the brain. Individuals with late-onset AD produce Aβ peptides at normal levels but have an impaired ability to clear them from the brain. Elevated levels of Aβ are associated with disruptions of neural network activity and are suspected of being one of the causes that underlie the cognitive deficits that we commonly associate with AD, such as memory loss. Moreover, Aβ accumulation leads to its deposition as plaques in the brain and may trigger a cascade of further deposits which ultimately leads to irreversible neuronal death.

A new class of medications known as rexinoids have shown promise in mice in rapidly reversing Aβ accumulation in the brain within as short a time as 72 hours and even stimulated the rapid reversal of cognitive, social, and olfactory deficits and improved neural circuit function. Clinical trials of this treatment on humans are anticipated.

LINKS:

Science article:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2012/02/08/science.1217697.full.pdf

The Landreth Lab website:

http://gel-server1.cwru.edu/

Press Release from CWRU:

http://case.edu/medicus/breakingnews/bexarotene.html

NPR Science Friday 2-10-2012:

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/10/146697648/drug-rapidly-counters-effects-of-alzheimers-in-mice

EVENT DETAILS:

WHERE: The Market Garden Brewery

(Located at 1947 West 25th Street next to the West Side Market, Cleveland, Ohio)