Alzheimer’s disease is a serious brain disorder that affects millions of people around the world.
It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, making daily life difficult.
Now, researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai have discovered something that could open a new path to treating the disease—a special brain protein called TRPM7.
In people with Alzheimer’s, sticky clumps of protein known as amyloid-β build up in the brain. These clumps are thought to be one of the main reasons the disease happens, as they block normal brain function and cause brain cells to die.
The scientists found that when TRPM7 isn’t working properly, amyloid-β can build up more easily.
TRPM7 is an important protein that acts like a gate in brain cells. It helps control the flow of ions, which are tiny charged particles, and also works as a kinase—an enzyme that helps cells perform basic tasks. It turns out that TRPM7 has a big role in keeping the brain healthy.
The researchers examined brain tissue from people with Alzheimer’s and found that their levels of TRPM7 were much lower than normal. They saw the same thing in lab mice that were bred to develop the disease.
To test if TRPM7 could help, they boosted its levels in mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. The results were exciting: the mice had better memory and their brains formed healthier connections between cells.
The researchers also found that TRPM7 activates another protein called MMP14. This protein can break down and remove amyloid-β, which may help protect the brain.
This discovery is promising because it shows how helping the brain remove harmful substances might slow or even reverse some effects of Alzheimer’s. However, scientists still don’t fully understand everything about the disease.
Another protein called tau, which forms tangled threads inside brain cells, also plays a role. Most experts believe that Alzheimer’s is caused by a mix of problems—not just one.
Even though this research brings hope, there is still a long road ahead. Alzheimer’s is a growing problem. In the United States alone, it costs over $355 billion each year.
With the number of older adults increasing around the world, the World Health Organization warns that Alzheimer’s could overwhelm healthcare systems by 2050 if we don’t find better ways to treat or prevent it.
The research led by Shimeng Zhang gives scientists a new direction to explore. If future studies confirm these results, medicines that boost TRPM7 or help it work better could one day be part of Alzheimer’s treatment.
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