Shenghua Zhu
Shenghua Zhu
University of Manitoba
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common dementia, is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized mainly by memory loss.
The brain has millions of neurons that are responsible for different functions. The neurons are surrounded by myelin sheaths that allow neurons to communicate with each other effectively. A breakdown in myelin results in abnormal thoughts and behaviours.
Converging evidence suggest that AD may involve abnormalities in myelin. However, it is not yet clear to us whether changes in myelin are a direct cause of this disease or alternatively, a secondary consequence of abnormal neural function.
The current proposal will investigate the role of myelin in a transgenic mouse model of AD and how myelin breakdown will contribute to the abnormal behaviour in this disease.
This project will provide possible intervention and prevention strategies for the clinical syndrome of AD, since risk factors for the development of white matter dysfunction are modifiable.
