prion hypothesis

The prion hypothesis suggests that certain infectious agents, called prions, consist of misfolded proteins that can induce normal proteins in the brain to also misfold. Unlike bacteria and viruses, prions lack genetic material. This abnormal protein accumulation leads to brain damage and diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow disease. Essentially, prions "convert" healthy proteins into more prions, spreading the disease without needing any living cells, which makes them uniquely dangerous. Understanding this process is crucial for developing treatments and preventing these devastating neurodegenerative diseases.