DNA damage can trigger neurons to self-destruct

Over the past decade, researchers astatine WashU Medicine person established that a molecule called SARM1 is simply a cardinal trigger successful the nonaccomplishment of axons, the captious wiring of the tense system. Axon nonaccomplishment is diagnostic of galore neurodegenerative diseases, specified arsenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, glaucoma and peripheral neuropathies, including those caused by communal chemotherapies.