Stay-at-home transcription factor shown to prevent neurodegeneration

Researchers have uncovered one of the potential causes of neurodegeneration.

A study conducted at the University of Wuerzburg in Germany found a transcription factor called STAT3 remains in the axon of nerve cells to help prevent neurodegeneration.

Senior author Michael Sendtner from the university stated the findings may pave the way for future drug therapies to slow nerve damage in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

The study, which has been published in The Journal of Cell Biology, explained that axon degeneration could represent a turning point for patients, after which so much nerve damage has accumulated that treatments are unable to work.

A wide range of conditions involve neurodegeneration and they include Huntington’s disease, motor neurone disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Dementia is one of the biggest causes of death in older adults in the UK and millions of individuals across the country are currently living with the condition.

Find out about dementia care and support services at Barchester care homes.