Current research

There are several risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease including diabetes, gender, and vascular health; however the largest risk factor is age. The inherited form of Alzheimer’s, early onset, is rare and effects people under the age of 65. Once a person reaches the age of 65 the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s increases as the person ages.

It is still a mystery why age is the largest risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the University of Cambridge are seeking to find out why. By investigating the pathways (biochemical reactions) that regulate ageing and their interactions with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease they hope to find an answer.

Alzheimer’s disease is associated with the presence of amyloid protein plaques in the brain and the destruction of brain nerve cells. Researchers at the University of Cambridge are investigating what age related changes make the brain more susceptible to these plaques and consequent brain deterioration. Although the toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s are found in normal brains and develop throughout a regular human life cycle, they rarely cause disease in younger people.

An important insight into the ageing process has come from the discovery that the insulin-signalling pathway has a role in determining lifespan. It has been shown that a reduction in activity of this pathway in organisms such as flies, worms and mice increases lifespan. The aim of this project is to investigate the interactions between pathways involved in the regulation of ageing and Alzheimer’s disease using fruit flies (Drosophila) as a model.

The fruit fly models replicate many of the features of the human disease. The researchers, led by Dr Maria Giannakou, will use the model to determine how ageing affects the sensitivity of the fly brain to the toxic protein and how other processes or proteins interact with the ageing process to increase or decrease toxicity. A better understanding of the interaction between the ageing process and the formation of brain plaques in Alzheimer’s disease could lead to potential new targets for drug design.