Tag: Alzheimer's

Scientists have demonstrated that short-term exposure to microplastics causes Alzheimer’s-like effects in mice expressing human APOE4 versus APOE3. These effects were sex-dependent, mirroring the disease in humans [1]. Microplastics and the brain Exposure to tiny particles that plastic products shed (microplastics) has been linked to increased mortality and diseases [2]. Microplastics are ubiquitous and enter...

Scientists have found a way to directly stimulate the assembly of Complex I in mitochondria, rescuing memory deficits in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia [1]. Mitochondrial signal transducers Why We Age: Mitochondrial DysfunctionAs they age, the mitochondria in our cells lose their ability to provide cellular energy and release reactive oxygen species that...

Scientists have developed a potent diagnostic tool based on the vascular hypothesis for Alzheimer’s. It outperformed three current techniques and might offer clues to the mechanism behind the disease [1]. The blood flow hypothesis Traditionally, Alzheimer's disease has been associated with the presence of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain: the amyloid cascade...

In a recent study, researchers identified the critical role that lithium plays in brain health and the development of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Supplementing with a lithium salt called lithium orotate can reverse many of its cognitive decline-related changes on the molecular and cellular levels [1]. The road less traveled Understanding the underlying...

Researchers publishing in Nature Aging have discovered how Alzheimer's-related protein aggregates are also related to senescent cells and osteoporosis. Beyond the brain Why We Age: Loss of ProteostasisThe loss of proteostasis is the failure of the protein-building machinery of the cell and the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which is one of the root causes of...

Scientists have creatively used large databases of existing FDA-approved drugs and electronic medical records to locate candidates that are potentially effective against Alzheimer’s [1]. New approaches needed Many previously discovered drugs may be effective beyond their original indications, but it is challenging to match them to new ones. Thankfully, ever-growing computing power, new data, and...