Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews / 17.02.2017
Role Identified for Neuronal Protein in Dementia of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Shinsuke Ishigaki
Department of Neurology
Department of Therapeutics for Intractable Neurological Disorders
Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine
Nagoya,Japan
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a pathological process that
has been characterized by personality changes, abnormal behaviors,
language impairment, and progressive dementia. The genetic and
pathological similarities in fused in sarcoma (FUS), transactive
response (TAR) DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and C9orf72 in relation
to FTLD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have recently lead to
the recognition that the two conditions represent points on a spectrum
of a single disease entity. Additionally, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration has also been classified as a tauopathy, characterized by an accumulation of phosphorylated
microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) in affected neurons.
Our study demonstrated a biological link between FUS/SFPQ and the regulation of
tau isoforms involved in the early phase of Frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
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