Alzheimer's Disease

Researchers have offered new evidence suggesting dysfunction in the lysosome system, our body’s cellular garbage disposal mechanism, could be the underlying cause of Alzheimer’s. The hypothesis isn't entirely new but the research explains how lysosomal failure can lead to neurodegenerative disease.

A study led by Harvard Medical School researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital has found levels of amyloid beta plaques in the brain, the primary pathological characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, can be directly correlated with both increasing symptoms of depression, and worsening cognition.

Alkahest, a California-based start-up, has just revealed some compelling early results from an ongoing Phase 2 trial into the efficacy of its novel formulation of plasma proteins derived from young blood, developed to slow, or even stop, the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have developed a transgenic mouse model with human brain immune cells. The breakthrough will let scientists observe how human brain cells respond to different Alzheimer’s-inducing toxic proteins, advancing our understanding into how neurodegenerative disease progresses.

A new study is suggesting a novel blood test can identify subjects at an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, years before any symptoms appear. The blood test may even be more accurate than PET brain scans, and is hoped to accelerate patient screening for clinical trials.

A study is building on the association between the liver and Alzheimer’s . Suggesting a correlation between blood-based liver function biomarkers and several neurological signs of Alzheimer’s, the research hypothesizes the disease to have broader metabolic effects in organs other than the brain.

A study is suggesting a gene variant associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk in late life could affect cognitive health in childhood. The research reveals those carrying the gene score lower on IQ tests in childhood, implying cognitive decline is apparent at a younger age than ever realized.

A compelling new study has described a novel association between viral infections, neurodegenerative disease, the gut microbiome, and our immune system. The research suggests gut bacteria disruptions can allow harmful viruses to trigger neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Two new studies are shedding light on the mystery of why women suffer from Alzheimer’s at higher rates than men. As well as discovering sex-specific genes associated with Alzheimer’s risk, the researchers describe how toxic dementia-causing proteins spread differently through female brains.

Two new studies affirm the potential for a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of age-related dementia and cognitive decline. The research particularly suggests lifestyle factors can counteract genetic predispositions for Alzheimer’s disease.

In the largest general population study ever conducted investigating the association between atrial fibrillation and dementia, Korean researchers have concluded there is a significant link between the common heart condition and the onset of neurodegenerative disease.

Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered that an existing drug used for hypertension was able to boost blood flow to memory and learning regions in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, opening up new possibilities in the treatment of the disease.