New Technique Models Late-Onset Alzheimer's Using Patient-Derived Neurons, Lamivudine Shows Promise

Aug 1, 2024, 09:08 PM

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have developed a new technique to model late-onset Alzheimer's disease using patient-derived neurons. This method involves transforming skin cells into induced pluripotent stem cells and then into neurons, which accurately replicate the disease's features. The study, published in Science Magazine, identifies the role of retrotransposons, or 'jumping genes,' in Alzheimer's disease. This approach allows scientists to study the effects of aging on Alzheimer's without the need for brain biopsies. Additionally, the drug lamivudine has shown to reduce Alzheimer's effects in lab-grown neuron models.