Liver, not brain, origin of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's?

New research has indicated that the liver, rather than the brain, could be the origin of the plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

A study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research, identified three genes that influence the amount of amyloid that collects in the brain.

It was found that those mice with lower expression in the liver had better protection against amyloid accumulation in the brain.

"This unexpected finding holds promise for the development of new therapies to fight Alzheimer's," said Scripps Research Professor Greg Sutcliffe, who led the study.

"This could greatly simplify the challenge of developing therapies and prevention."

In other Alzheimer's news, scientists at the University of Kansas have found that individuals are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease if their mother had the condition than if their father did.

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