The research of Tijms focuses on identifying new leads for personalized treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is characterized by misfolding of proteins amyloid and tau in the brain. In addition to these so-called plaques, other biological processes occur, such as inflammation and growth of brain cells. Using advanced techniques, Tijms and her colleagues measured these other biological processes in patients with misfolded amyloid and tau.
Five biological variants
Tijms and her team previously identified five distinct biological variants within this group. For instance, the first variant is characterized by increased amyloid production. In contrast, a second variant showed a disrupted blood-brain barrier, reduced amyloid production, and limited nerve cell outgrowth. The discovery of these five variants is highly significant for drug research, as it suggests that medication might only be effective for one specific variant of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s medication
In her new study, Tijms will investigate whether these five different Alzheimer variants respond differently to Alzheimer’s medication. She will also study large new groups of patients followed over time. By doing so, Tijms aims to map the onset and course of disease processes for each Alzheimer variant, to find new leads for targeted therapies. This project represents a significant step toward the development of targeted treatments and drugs tailored to the various variants of Alzheimer's disease.
Read more about Betty Tijms in our Magazine.
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Photo by Marieke de Lorijn