The progression of Alzheimer’s disease slowed thanks to the CRISPR technique in mice
Deletion of a small segment of a gene in mouse brain cells reduced plaque formation seen in Alzheimer’s disease by 44%
Health
December 12, 2022
Illustration of amyloid plaques forming between neurons Nobeastsofierce Science/Alamy
Deleting just a small part of a gene in brain cells could slow the progression or delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In mice, the therapy reduced the formation of amyloid plaques, the characteristic clumps of proteins seen in the brains of people with the disease.
Previous attempts to use CRISPR Gene-editing technology for neurodegenerative diseases has often focused on removing DNA sequences implicated in disease pathology, but this can have unintended consequences. Take for example the APPLICATION gene, which contains instructions…
