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New discovery in Alzheimer's research

MINNEAPOLIS -- Important new research is being conducted in the fight against Alzheimer's and it comes from researchers in Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Important new research is being conducted in the fight against Alzheimer's and it comes from researchers in Minnesota.

It's been 10 years in the making, but researchers at the University of Minnesota think they might have figured out what is causing neurons in an Alzheimer's brain from communicating to each other. Tau, a protein, found in neurons gets cut off by a naturally occurring enzyme called Caspase-2.

It's a discovery, lead researcher Dr. Karen Ashe says, getting us closer to restoring cognition in Alzheimer's patients.

"If you can prevent Caspase-2 from cutting Tau, then the connections between neurons repair themselves and the neurons can communicate again and the brain begins to work again," said Dr. Karen Ashe, M.D., Ph.D and U of M professor, Department of Neurology.

The next step, creating a pill that prevents or reduces Caspace-2 which could take another 10 years or so before it's ready for consumers.

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