Leaking Calcium in Neurons an Early Sign of Alzheimer's Pathology

A study in Alzheimer's & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association found that vulnerable neurons in the prefrontal cortex can "leak" calcium with age, reports EurekAlert . This leads to the buildup of phosphorylated tau proteins that cause neurofibrillary tangles in the brain that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. "Altered calcium signaling with advancing age is linked to early-stage tau pathology in the neurons that subserve higher cognition," said Yale University Professor Amy Arnsten. These brain cells also tend to lose a key calcium signaling regulator with age, the protein calbindin, which shields them from calcium overload. Neurons in the prefrontal cortex require relatively high levels of calcium to execute their cognitive operations. As regulation declines with increasing age, neurons become susceptible to tau pathology and deterioration. "Understanding these early pathological changes may provide strategies to slow or prevent disease progression," suggested Arnsten.