Carol M. Troy

Carol M. Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Columbia University

Carol M. Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Pathology, Columbia University

Research on the mechanisms of neuronal death in ischemia has yielded potential targets for therapeutic intervention.However, development of therapies has been hindered by lack of acces-sibility to the brain and the specificity of action of the therapeutic.

Carol M. Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Pathology, Columbia University

Research on the mechanisms of neuronal death in ischemia has yielded potential targets for therapeutic intervention.However, development of therapies has been hindered by lack of acces-sibility to the brain and the specificity of action of the therapeutic.We have developed a novel

Carol Troy (Columbia University)

Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Neurology, Taub Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Current Alliances and Market Trends
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Carol TroyColumbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

Carol TroyMotor Neuron Center
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BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION : Carol M. Troy is Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Neurology in the Taub Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and a member of the faculty of Cell Biology and Pathobiology Graduate Program.She did her undergraduate studies at Brandeis University and received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from NYU School of Medicine.
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Troy, C. M., Rabacchi, S. A., Friedman, W. J., Frappier, T. F., Brown, K. and Shelanski, M. L. (2000).
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Troy, C. M., Rabacchi, S. A., Hohl, J. B., Angelastro, J. M., Greene, L. A. and Shelanski, M. L. (2001) "Death in the balance: Alternative participation of the caspase-2 and -9 pathways in neuronal death induced by NGF-deprivation" J. Neurosci.
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Troy, C. M., Friedman, J. E. and Friedman, W. J. (2002) "Mechanisms of p75-Mediated Death of Hippocampal Neurons: Role of Caspases."J.Biol.Chem.277: 34295-34302. Davidson, T. J., Harel, S., Arboleda, V. A., Shelanski, M. L., Greene, L. A. and Troy, C. M. (2004) "Highly efficient siRNA delivery to primary mammalian neurons induces microRNA-like effects before mRNA degradation" J. Neurosci 24:10040-10046.
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Prunell, G. F., Arboleda, V. A. and Troy, C. M. (2005) "Caspase Function in Neuronal Death: Delineation of the role of caspases in ischemia."Current drug targets - CNS and neurological disorders 4(1): 51-61.

"Within the body, there are several different types of SOD," says Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City."Their presumed function--and not everything is clear on this--is as a first line of defense against free radicals."

Laboratory studies indicate that excessive levels of these free radicals kill nerve cells and that when cells have chronically low levels of the antioxidant SOD, it is impossible to protect them from free radical damage."It's controversial as to what is going on," says Dr. Troy."Certainly, we know that the cells have SOD for a reason.And when there are alterations in the cells, we know that there are problems, such as ALS."To see if they could get a better handle on what happens, Dr. Troy and her colleagues set up small dishes of nerve cells in the lab and lowered the amount of SOD, just as it seems to occur in ALS.

And just as they did in people, the cells died.

Dr. Troy took new dishes of cells, lowered the SOD, then added a nerve growth factor to see if it would protect the cells.The cells died again.

She took a third batch of cells, lowered the SOD, then added the antioxidant vitamin E.

The cells lived.

Vitamin E Sparks New Hope

Whether or not vitamin E or any other antioxidant nutrient can prevent nerve cell death in humans with ALS is unknown.Nevertheless, that's exactly what scientists are hoping.
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Dr. Troy, for example, is still testing nerve cells in her lab.And should vitamin E be as effective in people as it is in her lab, she's already prepared to mix up a batch.

It turns out that vitamin E plus nerve growth factor prevents cell death even better than vitamin E alone.A medication combining the two is not yet available.In the meantime, you might want to talk to your physician about taking the antioxidants in Dr. Cudkowicz's study.

For more information

Dr. Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Columbia UniversityThe Burnham Institute,

Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Columbia University50 Ways to kill a neuron.

Carol Troy, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Neurology, Taub Center for the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain,