Cytospector’s assay for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) evaluates the effect of selected compounds or genes on Aβ-induced synaptic toxicity. This assay can be used to identify or validate novel therapeutics or targets for AD.

Increased levels of Aβ, and the formation of toxic Aβ oligomers in the brain, are early causative events in the development of AD. Aβ-induced synaptic toxicity is regarded as the primary disease mechanism that underlies reduced cognitive function, and therefore constitutes an important drug target in AD research.

Overexpression of APP, which leads to increased extracellular Aβ levels, consistently decreases the number and function of synapses. Our Alzheimer’s disease assay evaluates the potency of selected experimental manipulations to rescue this synaptic phenotype.