When good cells go bad: Study finds blocking formation of ‘bad’ brain cells key to brain health
cleveland.com (subscription required): Paul Tesar, the Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Therapeutics, found that astrocytes, a class of cells that normally support healthy brain function, can switch from helpers to a harmful state that increases nerve-cell loss in neurodegenerative diseases. “Our findings redefine the landscape of neurodegenerative disease treatment and open the door to a new era of astrocyte targeting medicines,” he said.