A group of researchers has created a promising new compound that may help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people with a certain genetic risk, without harming normal brain function.
This compound works by reducing inflammation in the brain, a key factor believed to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s.
The study was published in the journal npj Drug Discovery and offers hope for people who carry a gene called APOE4. This gene is the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. However, not everyone with the APOE4 gene develops the disease, so scientists are working to understand what other factors are involved.
One important factor is an enzyme called calcium-dependent phospholipase A2, or cPLA2. This enzyme has been found at high levels in people with the APOE4 gene who later developed Alzheimer’s.
The trouble is that cPLA2 is also important for normal brain function, so blocking it completely would cause problems. The challenge was to create a drug that could reduce harmful activity of cPLA2 without turning it off completely.
In this study, scientists developed special compounds that only target the harmful part of cPLA2’s activity. These compounds don’t interfere with other similar enzymes that are needed for everyday brain functions.
The research showed that even at low doses, these new compounds were effective in reducing the enzyme’s activity in both lab-grown cells and animal models.
The team used advanced computer screening tools to examine billions of molecules. They searched for ones that would be able to enter the brain, work in real biological systems, and act only on cPLA2.
After narrowing down their list, they tested the top candidates in mice. These tests were led by a team of pharmacologists who made sure the compound could be safely delivered and actually reach the brain.
One compound stood out. It was able to cross the blood-brain barrier—the natural shield that protects the brain from harmful substances—and it successfully reduced harmful inflammation in brain cells. In mice, this compound influenced key inflammation pathways linked to Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting it may have real potential as a treatment in the future.
Dr. Hussein Yassine, who led the study and directs the Center for Personalized Brain Health at the University of Southern California, said that this work is a step toward understanding whether targeting inflammation in the brain can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, especially in people who carry the APOE4 gene.
The next steps will focus on testing whether this approach is safe and effective in humans. The researchers emphasize that they are moving forward carefully to learn how this drug might help and to make sure it does not cause unintended problems.
If successful, this new type of treatment could offer a way to delay or prevent Alzheimer’s by stopping harmful brain inflammation—without disrupting normal brain activity.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about the likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease, and new non-drug treatment that could help prevent Alzheimer’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about diet that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, and results showing some dementia cases could be prevented by changing these 12 things.
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