Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and it affects millions of older adults around the world.
It slowly damages memory, thinking, and behavior, making everyday tasks difficult. This disease not only affects those who have it, but also deeply impacts their families and caregivers.
For many years, scientists have searched for a cure. So far, the available treatments can only ease symptoms for a while—they do not stop or reverse the disease.
Many scientists believe Alzheimer’s is caused by the buildup of harmful proteins in the brain. These proteins can interrupt how brain cells talk to each other and cause brain cells to die.
Because of this theory, many treatments have focused on removing these proteins. Unfortunately, most of these treatments have not worked well in stopping the disease from getting worse.
Now, a new study suggests something different. Researchers from Yale-NUS College in Singapore, led by scientist Jan Gruber, discovered that the problem might begin earlier than the buildup of harmful proteins.
They studied tiny worms known as Caenorhabditis elegans. Even though these worms are very small, they share many important biological features with humans. That’s why scientists often use them to study diseases.
The team found that long before the dangerous proteins appeared in the brain, the worms already had trouble making energy inside their cells. This means the first problem in Alzheimer’s may be how cells produce energy—not the protein buildup that shows up later.
Our bodies use a process called metabolism to turn food into energy. Inside every cell are small parts called mitochondria. These are like the cell’s power stations, making the energy the cell needs to work properly. When mitochondria don’t work right, cells start to fail and can even die.
In the study, the scientists gave the worms a common diabetes medicine called Metformin. This drug seemed to help fix the energy problems. The worms became healthier and even lived longer. This discovery gives scientists hope that helping cells make energy more efficiently might be a better way to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s.
This new way of thinking about Alzheimer’s is exciting. Instead of seeing the disease as something separate, the researchers suggest that it might be part of the natural aging process. If that’s true, then medicines that help people age more slowly might also help prevent Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases.
Even though this research is promising, it is still early. The study was done in worms, not humans. Scientists now need to test whether the same results can happen in people. They also need to make sure drugs like Metformin are safe to use for this purpose and don’t cause serious side effects.
Still, this research is a big step forward. It gives hope that someday we may have treatments that stop Alzheimer’s before it even begins, helping people stay healthy and independent as they age.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about New Alzheimer’s treatment: anti-inflammatory drug may prevent memory loss and findings of The diabetes drug surprise: a possible shield against Alzheimer’s?
For more about brain health, please read studies about Scientists find connection between fungus and Alzheimer’s disease and findings of Scientists find links between COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.
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