Colloquium

 Speaker: Professor Yu-Hau Tseng (National University of Kaohsiung) Title: A PDE model for the production and clearance of amyloid $\beta$ protein. Time: 2020-09-24 (Thu.)  15:00 - 16:00 Place: Auditorium, 6 Floor, Institute of Mathematics (NTU Campus) Abstract: A PDE system is developed to describe the formation and clearance of Aβ protein and the subsequently buildup of A$\beta$ plaques by dividing all A$\beta$ related peptides into five distinct categories. In addition to enzymatic degradation, the clearance via diffusion and the circulation of interstitial fluid (ISF) are considered. Spherical symmetry is assumed to reduce the brain geometry to one-dimensional that makes for the easy comparison of the resulting concentrations across the brain for different parameter values. Two dimensional simulations are also carried out for the transverse section of the brain, for which clusters of A$\beta$ plaque accumulation are formed when the boundary condition becomes nonuniform. Our investigation shows different concentration profiles for diffusion-only case and when ISF flow is included with the latter resulting in A$\beta$ plaque accumulation in the iso-cortex. Furthermore, the simulations also indicate that A$\beta$ protein clearance can be improved by diffusion and ISF circulation, provided that the protein transfer from the brain to the surrounding cerebral spinal fluid is not impeded. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Amyloid $\beta$ protein; Interstitial fluid; Cerebral spinal fluid. || Close window ||