SAN FRANCISCO — Researchers have identified a specific blood-clotting protein that can trigger synaptic damage after leaking into the brain, according to New Atlas. <br />A new study published in the journal Neuron finds the protein fibrinogen can be found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease and experimental lab mice. <br />According to New Atlas, scientists found that when fibrinogen enters the brain through blood-brain barrier leaks, it triggers inflammation that can damage neuron synapses. <br />The team found that fibrinogen can cause synaptic damage in the absence of any amyloid plaque build-up. <br />Other studies have proposed that an increasingly permeable blood-brain barrier may allow more toxic amyloid and tau proteins to enter the brain, starting the pathological process that leads to Alzheimer's. This new study could provide an alternative explanation. <br />While tests on animals have been conducted, the findings have yet to lead to human clinical trials. <br />According to the researchers, the type of synaptic damage associated with blood-brain barrier breakdowns could play a role in various neurological conditions.
