Dr. Vivek Swarup has been awarded an Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant to study oligodendrocyte dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Dr. Swarup writes that Alzheimer’s disease has long been thought of as a problem of nerve cells, but new evidence shows that support cells called oligodendrocytes (OLs) may also play a direct role in driving the disease. These cells help insulate and protect nerves, but in Alzheimer’s, they appear to malfunction and may even produce harmful amyloid plaques. Our project will test how changes in a key regulator of OL affect its function and Alzheimer’s progression. By targeting OL dysfunction, we aim to discover new ways to slow or prevent the disease. To learn more about Dr. Swarup’s lab, visit his website.
