Research conducted in mice reveals that the Alzheimer’s disease starts at the brain and later spreads to other parts of the body. Earlier studies suggest that the part of the brain, entorhinal cortex which is an important part responsible for memory often gets affected first.

The current study notes that a plaque which builds up in the brain is what spreads the disease to the rest of the brain from the region.

Julie Harris, of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, in San Francisco hopes these findings will help find newer treatments for the disease.

"One could envision that targeting therapies to the entorhinal cortex early in the disease process could perhaps help stop spread of disease into other connected brain regions," she said.

The entorhinal cortex is linked to the hippocampus, and interference with this connection may lead to memory loss.
The Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the one that is found in the brains of those affected with the disease.

Researchers used mice that had been genetically trained to produce APP only in the part, entorhial cortex. They noted that these mice exhibited problems in learning that were similar to those which produced APP in other areas of the brain, as well.

Researchers are now going to experiment further to find out how this protein moves to other parts of the brain. They are also trying to find how relevant the studies might prove on humans.