Key Alzheimer's Breakthrough Identifies Stress-Related Alzheimer's Mechanism Driving the Disease

Scientists investigating Alzheimer’s disease have made a key breakthrough, identifying a key cellular process that drives most common cause of dementia.

Alzheimer’s brain study highlights role of stress in microglia – by Pinar Ayata / CUNY

American researchers say it marks a “promising” target for drug treatments aiming to slow, or even reverse, the disease’s development.

A team from the Advanced Science Research Center at The City University of New York (CUNY ASRC) discovered the critical mechanism that links cellular stress in the brain to the progression of Alzheimer’s.

The study, published in the journal Neuron, says the brain’s primary immune cells — called microglia — play a key role in protecting the brain from the disease.

Microglia are often dubbed the brain’s “first responders”, but scientists say these same cells can play a double-edged role.

Some protect brain health, while others worsen neurodegeneration, spurring on Alzheimer’s.

Understanding the differences between these cells has been a research focus for Professor Pinar Ayata, the study’s principal investigator.

“We set out to answer what are the harmful microglia in Alzheimer’s disease and how can we therapeutically target them,” Prof Ayata said.

“We pinpointed a novel neurodegenerative microglia phenotype in Alzheimer’s disease characterised by a stress-related signalling pathway.”

Read the full story here thanks to: Alzheimer’s could be ‘reversed’ as breakthrough paves the way for new treatment that offers hope to millions | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Original research article:

Anna Flury et al. A neurodegenerative cellular stress response linked to dark microglia and toxic

lipid secretion. Neuron, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.11.018