York Scientists Identify Steps in Dementia Progression

Biologists at the University of York have identified new mechanisms potentially driving progression of Frontotemporal Dementia, an aggressive form of early-onset dementia caused by the loss of neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

Funded by Alzheimer’s Society and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the research, also involving scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and University of Puerto Rico, studied how synapses are affected by changes in the protein CHMP2B that are linked to Frontotemporal Dementia.* They uncovered mechanisms that controlled growth in synapses causing them to overgrow. These signals are normally involved in immune reactions and have not been seen to function in synapse growth previously.

Senior author Dr Sean Sweeney, of the Department of Biology, University of York, said: “These findings shed light on the events occurring in neurons as dementia takes hold. The more we know about the steps that occur in disease progression, the more opportunities we have to intervene with potential therapies.”

Lead author, Dr Ryan West added: ‘‘We hope that this work helps to tease apart complex molecular processes occurring in neurons and identify how these can go wrong in neurodegenerative diseases such as Frontotemporal Dementia.”

Dr Clare Walton, Research Manager at Alzheimer’s Society said: “We know less about the underlying causes of frontotemporal dementia than some other kinds of dementia, so research like this is a vital step towards developing treatments for the condition.

Further research will be needed to determine whether this mechanism plays a similar role in humans. Alzheimer’s Society is dedicated to supporting and training new scientific talent like Ryan to generate novel research ideas that will help us find the answers to all types of dementia.”

*Published in The Journal of Cell Biology.