Neurodegenerative diseases, infectious pathologies and liquid crystals: Hypothesis of a common information vector involving a multidisciplinary approach.

Neurodegenerative diseases, infectious pathologies and liquid crystals: Hypothesis of a common information vector involving a multidisciplinary approach. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2018 Mar 16;: Authors: Binot C, Chouard CH Abstract The existence of an information vector common to very different pathologies is the hypothesis of one of us, the argumentation and discussion of which we present here. It is a mesomorphic state of material called liquid crystal. The liquid-ordered (Lo) phase, made up of membrane rafts mediated by cholesterol, lies at the center of our concept. This mesophase is either preexistent and then modified by the pathogenic process, or initiated by the latter. The most notable disorders involved are Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Charcot and Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases, flu-like illnesses and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), although this list may well be extended to include other anisotropic, birefringent amyloid proteinopathies, which have properties compatible with those of liquid crystals. Incidentally, numerous conventional infectious pathologies can also induce a mesomorphic state in cell membranes. It has already been established that mesophases contain the chemical information transmitted from the intramolecular microscopic level, where covalent bonds are applied. Information is then transmitted at the intermolecular macroscopic level, where it is made up of informed, self-organized collections. Electrostatic ...
Source: Revue Neurologique - Category: Neurology Tags: Rev Neurol (Paris) Source Type: research