Alzheimer’s study probes chemistry of the brain

State-of-the-art simulations will investigate the cause and potential prevention of plaque build-up in the brain. Experts at the University are using state-of-the-art computer simulations to study the fundamental chemistry underpinning the development of Alzheimer's disease. Dr Jamie Platts, from the School of Chemistry , has been awarded a major research grant to investigate the build-up of 'sticky' plaques in the brain, which are believed to contribute to the degradation of nerve cells in the brain and the subsequent symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The £350,000 awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will be used to perform computer simulations to determine how the plaque builds up, with the hope of informing the design of new drugs and diagnostic agents for the disease. Dr Platts will specifically investigate the interaction between the building blocks of the plaque, called amyloid-? peptides, and naturally occurring metals in the brain. Metals such as copper, zinc and iron are essential to life and form an important part of healthy brains. However, research has shown that copper in particular plays a key role in the formation of amyloid-? plaques and the onset of Alzheimer's.