Dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism in the retina of Alzheimer’s mouse model

Medical Research Scotland Summer Vacation Scholarship
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% dementia cases. One of the major causes of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is buildup of a type of protein called amyloid beta. The protein buildup could be found in the eyes of some of AD patients, which may contribute to their visual impairment symptoms. Previous studies have shown that increased level of cholesterol is associated with the growth of amyloid beta and worsening of AD symptoms. In this project, we will investigate the cholesterol metabolism in the eyes of AD mouse model, which demonstrates similar clinical features of AD patients. This project will help to understand the role of cholesterol in retinal pathology of AD and, as well as it may pave a way for developing new drugs to restore cholesterol balance in AD patients as a potential therapeutic strategy.