Alzheimer’s scientists find key to halting brain decline before symptoms

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Scientists may have found a way to stopAlzheimer’s damagebefore it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease.

Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function, but researchers have now discovered soft, small clusters that appear first.

When those early clusters were dissolved, it prevented the toxic fibrils from forming, which could effectivelyblock the disease, according to researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University.

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Led by Professor Rei Kurita, the scientists used precise X-ray and fluorescence methods in a laboratory setting to find the microscopic “precursors,” which measured only tens of nanometers, according to a press release.

Because the tiny precursors were soft, the researchers were able to dissolve them.As a result, no tau fibrils were formed.

Scientists may have found a way to stop Alzheimer’s damage before it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease.(iStock)

These results suggest a shift in how scientists might developAlzheimer’s disease treatments.

Rather than focusing on breaking apart the final fibril formations, new therapies could target the earlier, reversible precursor stage to prevent harmful structures from forming in the first place, according to the release.

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This strategy could eventually be applied to the research ofneurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

The study did have some limitations, primarily that it involved in-vitro biochemical models and no humans or animals.It’s not known whether similar reversible clusters exist in human brain tissue.

Microscopic of Neural network Brain cells

Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function.(iStock)

More researchis needed to find out if breaking up these protein clusters is safe and could actually help treat the disease.

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Dr.

“There are three essential components structurally involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease —beta amyloid proteins, tau proteins and neuroinflammation,�

“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau.”
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“There are already treatments on the market to target beta amyloid buildup, and now here’s a targeted therapy to dissolve and disrupttau protein buildupbefore it forms the dreaded neurofibrillatory tangles.”

other medicationscurrently on the market.

“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau,” he predicts.

“This is promising basic research that may turn out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease, but it is preliminary,” an expert said.(iStock)

Courtney Kloske, Ph.D., director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer�

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“This manuscript focuses on altering the structure of tau, one of the hallmarkbrain proteinsinvolved in Alzheimer’s, and on exploring approaches that could potentially slow or stop disease development,” said Kloske, who was also not involved in the study.

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Alzheimer’s scientists find key to halting brain decline before symptoms

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