Dr. Laibaik Park

Abnormal forms of a brain-cell protein called tau, which have long been implicated in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders, may contribute to neurodegeneration earlier than was previously understood, by interfering with the normal dynamics of blood flow in the brain.

A protein linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and a form of dementia increases the risk of cognitive impairment by reducing the number and responsiveness of blood vessels in the organ.

By studying the effects of immune cells that surround blood vessels in the brain, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have discovered a new pathway involving these cells that may contribute to the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.