title: Science Signaling Podcast for 10 May 2016: PKCα in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: This Podcast features an interview with Alexandra Newton and Rudolph Tanzi, authors of a Research Article that appears in the 10 May 2016 issue of Science Signaling, about activating mutations in protein kinase Cα that may promote the type of neural defects that characterize Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive loss and, eventually, death. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ), synaptic depression, and synaptic degeneration. Alfonso et al found activating mutations in the gene encoding protein kinase Cα (PKCα) in some families with inherited Alzheimer's disease. Loss of PKCα function prevented Aβ-induced synaptic depression in brain tissue from mice, suggesting that activated forms of PKCα may contribute to Alzheimer's disease in some patients.Listen to Podcast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Rudolph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tanzi
authors.affiliation: Web Editor, Science Signaling, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA.
authors.forename: Annalisa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: VanHook