Scientists Identify Key Enzyme That Links Brain Inflammation to Memory Loss

A research team at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has discovered that SIRT2, an enzyme previously unknown in this context, plays a key role in memory loss linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Astrocytes, once believed to only provide support for neurons, are now recognized as active participants in brain function. In Alzheimer’s disease, these cells become reactive, changing their behavior in response to the presence of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, a defining feature of the condition.