A new role for astrocytes: β-amyloid homeostasis and degradation

Accumulation of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) in the brain is believed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimerʹs disease (AD). There is evidence that Aβ accumulation might result from decreased elimination from the brain as well as from increased production, and recent work has suggested that astrocytes could have a role in Aβ degradation. This might lead to a better understanding of AD pathogenesis and possibly to new therapeutic avenues.