Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects millions of people worldwide. It mainly develops in older adults and slowly damages the brain over many years.
People with Alzheimer’s often begin by forgetting recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, they may struggle with thinking, decision-making, language, recognizing loved ones, and carrying out everyday tasks.
These changes can have a major impact on both patients and their families. Although current medicines can temporarily improve symptoms for some people, there is still no cure that can stop or reverse the disease.
For many years, scientists have tried to understand exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. One of the best-known ideas is the amyloid theory.
This theory suggests that a protein called amyloid-beta builds up inside the brain, forming sticky clumps known as plaques. These plaques are believed to interfere with communication between brain cells and eventually cause them to die.
Another growing theory focuses on the way cells produce and use energy. Every cell in the body contains tiny structures called mitochondria, often described as the cell’s powerhouses.
They produce the energy that cells need to survive and function. Brain cells require enormous amounts of energy because they are constantly sending and receiving signals. If mitochondria stop working properly, brain cells may become damaged long before other signs of Alzheimer’s appear.
A new study from Yale-NUS College provides important evidence supporting this second theory. The research was led by Jan Gruber and published in the journal eLife. The scientists used a tiny worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, which is commonly used in medical research because many of its basic cellular processes are similar to those found in humans.
The researchers carefully examined how the disease developed in these worms. They discovered that problems with metabolism and mitochondrial function appeared before large amounts of amyloid-beta accumulated. In other words, the cells were already having trouble producing energy before the protein build-up became obvious.
This suggests that poor cellular metabolism may be an early event that helps trigger Alzheimer’s rather than simply being a result of it.
One of the most surprising parts of the study involved the diabetes medicine metformin. Metformin has been used safely for many years to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
When the researchers gave metformin to the worms, it improved their metabolism, restored healthier mitochondrial function, and greatly improved their overall health. Remarkably, the treated worms lived as long as healthy worms that did not have the disease.
These findings suggest that improving the way cells produce energy could become a new approach to treating or preventing Alzheimer’s. Instead of only trying to remove amyloid-beta from the brain, future treatments might focus on keeping mitochondria healthy and maintaining normal metabolism before serious brain damage occurs.
The researchers also proposed an interesting new way of thinking about Alzheimer’s. Rather than viewing it as a completely separate disease, they suggest it may be closely linked to the natural aging process.
As people grow older, many cellular systems become less efficient. Metabolism slows, mitochondria become less effective, and cells gradually lose their ability to repair themselves. These age-related changes may create the conditions that allow Alzheimer’s to develop.
If this idea proves correct, treatments that slow the aging process or improve cellular health could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and perhaps other age-related diseases as well.
However, the researchers stress that these findings are still at an early stage. The study was performed in worms, not humans, and much more research is needed before metformin or similar medicines can be recommended to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was led by Jan Gruber and published in eLife. Although many questions remain unanswered, the research provides an exciting new direction for Alzheimer’s research.
By understanding what happens inside cells long before memory problems appear, scientists may one day develop treatments that delay, prevent, or even stop this devastating disease before it causes permanent damage.
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.
Copyright © 2026 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
