Scientists at the University of Cambridge have taken cutting-edge sensors used to measure temperature changes within cells to gain fascinating new insights into Alzheimer’s disease. The work shows how protein clumps long associated with the condition can cause heat to build up and fry brain cells “like an egg,” and more promisingly, demonstrated how drugs could be deployed to stop things from reaching harmful temperatures.
The breakthrough stems from the team’s explorations in what’s known as intracellular thermogenesis, an emerging field that centers on gauging temperature changes within cells. Advanced sensors have made such measurements possible, and the team is the first to apply it to the study of Alzheimer’s disease, focusing their attention on one of the prime suspects in its onset known as amyloid-beta proteins.
The buildup of amyloid-beta proteins into toxic clumps is considered a key driver of the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and they therefore receive considerable attention from scientists working to better understand the condition. The Cambridge team had been investigating links between intracellular thermogenesis and amyloid-beta aggregation, and these advanced new sensors provided the perfect tools to delve into the details.
Read more: New Atlas
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