Young Blood Can Slow Alzheimer’s in Mice: New Study Reveals Potential Treatment
- new research indicates that factors circulating in the blood may accelerate or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, offering a potential new avenue for understanding and treating the...
- Substances in the blood can influence the speed at wich Alzheimer's disease advances.
- The research team utilized Tg2576 transgenic mice, a common model for studying Alzheimer's, and administered weekly blood infusions from either young or aged donor mice over 30 weeks.
Alzheimer’s progression Linked to Substances in Blood, Mouse Study Finds
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new research indicates that factors circulating in the blood may accelerate or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, offering a potential new avenue for understanding and treating the devastating condition. A study published in Aging-US demonstrated that blood from older mice hastened Alzheimer’s-related damage in a mouse model, while blood from younger mice appeared to offer protection.
How Blood Factors Influence Alzheimer’s
Substances in the blood can influence the speed at wich Alzheimer’s disease advances. researchers at the Instituto Latinoamericano de Salud Cerebral (BrainLat) at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, in collaboration with the MELISA Institute, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and Universidad mayor, conducted experiments on mice to explore this connection. The study focused on the role of blood-borne factors in the development of beta-amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
The research team utilized Tg2576 transgenic mice, a common model for studying Alzheimer’s, and administered weekly blood infusions from either young or aged donor mice over 30 weeks. The results showed a clear difference in disease progression based on the source of the blood infusions.
Beta-Amyloid and the Development of Plaques
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) in the brain. These proteins aggregate into plaques that disrupt neuronal communication and ultimately damage brain tissue. While traditionally thought to be produced solely within the brain, beta-amyloid has now been detected in the bloodstream, prompting investigation into the potential role of blood-based factors in disease progression. The study builds on this understanding by demonstrating a potential mechanism for how these blood-borne factors might contribute to plaque formation.
Such as, a 2020 study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s association detailed the detection of amyloid beta in human blood and its correlation with brain amyloid levels – https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12134.
Study Details and Findings
The study involved 30 weeks of weekly blood infusions into Tg2576 mice. Mice receiving blood from older donors exhibited accelerated accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and increased neuroinflammation compared to those receiving blood from younger donors. This suggests that factors present in the blood of older individuals may contribute to the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers are now working to identify the specific substances responsible for these effects.
The research was partially funded by the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT), grant number 1201948 – https://www.fondecyt.cl/en/.This funding supported the detailed analysis of brain tissue and blood samples from the mice.