Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

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Been thinking about just how is it that amyloid tangles and plaque are supposedly interfering with cognative function (according to the "amyloid hypothesis").

So, can amyloid "short out" neurons? It would need to be conductive for starters.

Not real easy to find research on electrical properties of amyloid. Here's one:

"These experiments complemented work carried out on the conductivity of amyloid fibril networks, using fabricated interdigitated electrodes. In the unmodified state, amyloid fibrils formed from bovine insulin, fungal hydrophobins, and crude crystallins were all shown to have low conductivity, with current values in the range of 10?8–10?¹° A recorded at bias voltages of 0–2 V"

http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/6718

It would have been nice if the researchers had displayed a little more electrical knowledge and included a volumetric quantity. But this is good enough ball-park to establish naturally formed amyloid plaques as insulators. Average 2000 megohms, about the same as paper, (although if amyloid fibrils were (probably) smaller than the thickness of paper, it would mean even higher resistance). Anyway, paper is a good electrical insulator, used for years to insulate capacitor plates. 450 volts, no problem.

Furthermore, the neural equivalent of output signal wires, axons, have myelin insulating sheaths in similar manner to regular electrical wires in house wiring. So. You wrap some paper around an electrical appliance cord in your house. What's that going to do? Basically nothing, except that it's a little more insulated now...