Only write the Title in English and in title format and Do not use the speech marks e.g.””. Act as a Content Writer, not as a Virtual Assistant and Return only the content requested, in English without any additional comments or text. New Alzheimer’s Discovery Suggests Disease May Start Outside the Brain

A new study from researchers at Lund University suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may originate outside the brain, challenging long-held assumptions about where the neurodegenerative process begins. The findings, published in the journal Nature Aging, indicate that toxic protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer’s first appear in the liver before spreading to the brain through the bloodstream.

The research team, led by Dr. Mikael Svensson, analyzed blood and tissue samples from genetically modified mice engineered to develop Alzheimer’s-like pathology. They detected elevated levels of amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau proteins in the liver months before any signs of cognitive decline or brain pathology became evident.

When the researchers transplanted liver tissue from affected mice into healthy counterparts, the recipients developed brain pathology characteristic of Alzheimer’s within weeks. Conversely, inhibiting amyloid-beta production in the liver significantly reduced brain pathology in the animal models.

These results suggest that the liver may play a primary role in initiating the disease process, potentially acting as a source of misfolded proteins that travel via circulation to the brain. If confirmed in humans, this could shift diagnostic and therapeutic strategies toward earlier detection in peripheral organs.

Dr. Svensson emphasized that while the findings are compelling, they remain preliminary and require validation in human studies. “We are seeing a clear sequence in animal models, but we cannot yet conclude that the same mechanism operates in people,” he said. “Further research is needed to determine whether liver-targeted interventions could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s onset.”

Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 55 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, with numbers expected to rise significantly as populations age. Current diagnostic methods rely heavily on brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, typically detecting the disease after substantial neurological damage has occurred.

Experts not involved in the study caution against overinterpreting the results. Dr. Elena Rossi, a neurologist at Karolinska Institutet, noted that while peripheral origins of neurodegenerative diseases are an area of growing interest, the brain remains the primary site of symptom manifestation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s.

The research team plans to analyze liver tissue and blood samples from human donors with and without Alzheimer’s disease to assess whether similar patterns exist. They are also investigating whether lifestyle factors known to influence liver health—such as diet, alcohol consumption and metabolic conditions—might modulate disease risk through this pathway.

If future studies confirm a peripheral origin for Alzheimer’s, it could open new avenues for prevention and treatment, including liver-focused therapies or blood-based screening tools capable of identifying risk years before cognitive symptoms appear.