Appointment
Associate professor of neuroscience
Expert Areas
Alzheimer's, Brain Sciences
Research Focus
Dezhi Liaoand his team recently identified one of the earliest neurologic fingerprints associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. This fingerprint, an abnormal buildup of a protein in the brain called “tau,” can disrupt the brain’s communication abilities. Normally, tau proteins act as stabilizers in the body's cells - most notably within the central nervous system. When defective, prior research has shown that abnormal tau levels can form brain-damaging deposits, and that too much of the protein can contribute to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Sources of Funding
American Health Assistance Foundation
