Alzheimer's disease may damage the brain in two distinct phases, based on new research using sophisticated brain mapping tools. According to researchers who discovered this new view, the first, early phase happens slowly and silently -- before people experience memory problems -- harming just a few vulnerable cell types. In contrast, the second, late phase causes damage that is more widely destructive and coincides with the appearance of symptoms and the rapid accumulation of plaques, tangles, and other Alzheimer's hallmarks.
Read more …Alzheimer's disease may damage the brain in two phases
Hormone-driven cancers, like those of the breast and prostate, often rely on a tricky-to-target protein called Forkhead box protein 1 (FOXA1). FOXA1 mutations can enable these types of cancers to grow and proliferate. Today, FOXA1 is notoriously difficult to block with drugs -- but that may soon change. Scientists have identified a crucial binding site on FOXA1 that could pave the way for future cancer treatments. The team's findings also mapped out how tiny drug-like chemical compounds -- called small molecules -- interact with the protein.
Read more …Scientists discover chemical probes for previously 'undruggable' cancer target