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Scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute for Research have shown that microRNA biomarkers related to Alzheimer s disease play a role in brain damage caused by traumatic brain injury.
TBI or brain trauma results from blows to the head, leading to chronic disruption of the brain and a cascade of long-term health conditions. Patients who suffer from TBI are at much higher risk of developing neurodegenerative disease or dementia, particularly Alzheimer s disease. The mechanism behind this relationship remains understudied, making the development effective therapeutics challenging.
MiRNAs are small pieces of genetic material that play a critical role in normal gene expression. Yet, studies have also linked abnormal miRNA levels, or dysregulation, to a range of diseases including neurodegenerative disorders and cell death after TBI, making them a subject of great interest to researchers who hope to use them as biomarkers and novel targets of drug therapies.