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Prion: protein infection

While the infectious agent was named a prion, the specific protein that the prion was composed of is also known as the Prion Protein (PrP), though this protein may occur both in infectious and non-infectious forms.

There is a class of human proteins that if tampered with bring genetic deterioration, these microscopic destroyers are known as Prion Proteins. These proteins, when corrupted, are responsible for what could be described as a rogue agent acting unlike itself, spawning crystalline malformations at an intrusive degree, rendering the infected vessel obsolete. In animals such as deer and elk, these misfolded prions cause Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) of the brain, very similar to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, or “Mad Cow” disease, which causes “crystalline clumps” to form in the brain and spinal cord, causing deterioration. These symptoms are also present in human cases of Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and many others, all associated with prion misfolding. These mysterious prion proteins are suspected to have many functions, but the main assumption of their role is to help facilitate the transfer of neural information between cells. Continue reading “State Of Dementia” →