Anya Gurudatt
San Mateo High SchoolClass of 2024Foster City, California
About
Hello, there! I'm Anya, a sophomore living in the Bay Area, California, and my project is about the pathologies behind Alzheimer's disease. At school, my favorite subjects are math, Spanish, and biology. Some of my hobbies include classical music and piano as well as handlettering and calligraphy! I also enjoy watching sitcoms. If you're interested in my project and want to learn more, I hope you can attend the symposium at which I will be presenting on Saturday, September 18!Projects
- "Amyloid-β in Alzheimer’s Disease: Effects on Disease Pathogenesis and Recent Advances in Clinical Trials" with mentor Alicia (Aug. 18, 2021)
Anya's Symposium Presentation
Project Portfolio
Amyloid-β in Alzheimer’s Disease: Effects on Disease Pathogenesis and Recent Advances in Clinical Trials
Started Apr. 23, 2021
Abstract or project description
There is much literature, both previous and ongoing, surrounding how the aggregation of amyloid-β can induce cognitive impairment, neuronal loss, and the overall pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease through its interactions with glutamate receptors, microglia, tau proteins, and lipid rafts. Through these mechanisms of action, amyloid-β can induce synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity, impaired synaptic plasticity, and other issues associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease. Multiple preclinical studies have been conducted to better understand these mechanisms as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Unfortunately, when tested in clinical trials, drugs targeting amyloid-β have consistently failed. However, there is still hope for various ongoing clinical trials targeted at dissolving amyloid-β deposits and preventing amyloid-β production and aggregation, specifically: passive vaccination, monoclonal antibodies, beta-site amyloid protein cleaving enzyme inhibitors, and 𝛾-secretase inhibitors. Monoclonal antibodies, in particular, have proven to be most promising. This review aims to highlight some of the most novel and recent studies, their implications for the future of the field, the most promising forms of therapeutic intervention, and limitations and future prospects of targeting amyloid-β to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.