New Discoveries Unveil Clues on the Transmission of Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases

Researchers have made a significant finding about the development of Huntington’s disease, which can also provide insights into the prevention and treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. According to NPR, neurodegenerative diseases occur when proteins in the brain undergo an abnormal folding process and start to aggregate. As these abnormal proteins accumulate, they cause nearby proteins to also misfold and clump together. The recent study, which primarily focused on Huntington’s disease, aimed to identify the trigger of this process. Randal Halfmann, one of the study’s authors, described the progression of the disease as “a sort of a forest fire” and emphasized the importance of understanding its origin.

Halfmann’s team at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, Mo., conducted experiments using individual cells. They modified the genetic structure of PolyQ, a protein segment that becomes toxic in Huntington’s disease, and introduced various versions of it into cells. The researchers then observed the early signs of misfolding and clumping. Eventually, they discovered that a single molecule of PolyQ is responsible for initiating this process. While they were able to prevent the spread of the molecule in their experiments, the development of a drug is necessary to achieve the same result in humans. Corinne Lasmézas, a non-affiliated expert, commented that this finding paves the way for uncovering the underlying events that lead to Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. (Read more Huntington’s Disease stories.)