Abnormal Cells Suffocate the Brain

Special cells that wrap around the blood vessels in the brain that are abnormal leads to neuron deterioration and can possibly affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a USC-led study. These pericytes surrounding the blood vessels are called the gatekeeper cells. They dilate and contract to control the blood flow to active parts of the brain.

This pericyte degeneration might be ground zero for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, and possibly others. Senior author of the study and director of the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Berislav Zlokovic, says that a glitch with …read more