A study by University of Manchester scientists using fruit flies as model has identified a mechanism which can explain aspects of neurodegeneration which have baffled scientists for decades.
Scientists have long known that inherited neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease, can be traced back to genetic mutations. However, how they cause the diseases remains unanswered.
In today’s issue of the journal Current Biology Professor Andreas Prokop revealed that so-called ‘motor proteins’ can provide key answers in this quest.
The research by the Prokop group focusses on nerve fibres, also called axons. Axons are the delicate biological cables that send messages between the brain and body to control our movements and behaviour. Intriguingly, axons need to…