Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most heartbreaking illnesses affecting millions of people and families around the world. It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, over time, takes away the ability to do even simple daily tasks.
But now, new research from scientists in China suggests that a protein called TRPM7 could be a powerful new weapon against this devastating disease.
A team of researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology at Fudan University in Shanghai recently published their findings in the journal Science Signaling.
They believe that TRPM7 plays a key role in controlling the buildup of harmful substances in the brain—specifically, a sticky protein known as amyloid-β. These proteins clump together to form plaques, which interfere with how brain cells communicate. These plaques are considered one of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease.
TRPM7 is not just any protein. It has two important jobs in the body. First, it works as an ion channel, which helps control the flow of important minerals like magnesium and calcium in and out of cells. These minerals help keep cells healthy and active.
Second, TRPM7 also acts as a kinase, an enzyme that helps send signals inside cells by adding phosphate groups to other proteins. These actions support vital functions like cell communication and energy use.
In their study, the researchers discovered that TRPM7 levels were much lower in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s and in mice bred to have symptoms of the disease. This led them to wonder: what would happen if they increased the amount of TRPM7 in the brain?
To find out, they boosted TRPM7 levels in older mice with Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The results were exciting. These mice not only had fewer amyloid-β plaques in their brains, but they also regained some memory and learning abilities. Their brain cells, especially those involved in communication and memory, began working better again.
The scientists also discovered how this was happening. It turns out that the kinase part of TRPM7 activates another enzyme called MMP14. This enzyme helps break down and clear out amyloid-β, preventing it from piling up and harming brain cells.
While this research is still in the early stages and was done in animals, it offers a new way to think about treating Alzheimer’s disease. It suggests that boosting the brain’s natural ability to clear away toxic proteins might help protect memory and thinking.
However, experts caution that Alzheimer’s is a very complex disease. Amyloid-β is only part of the puzzle. Another protein called tau, which forms twisted tangles inside brain cells, is also thought to play a major role. Scientists are still trying to understand how these two proteins—and possibly other factors—work together to cause the disease.
Still, this new study gives scientists a fresh direction to explore. With the global number of Alzheimer’s cases rising quickly, especially in aging populations, there’s an urgent need to find better treatments.
In the United States alone, the cost of Alzheimer’s care has reached $355 billion a year, and the World Health Organization warns that the disease could overwhelm health systems worldwide by 2050.
For now, the work led by researcher Shimeng Zhang and his team offers a bit of hope. If future studies in humans confirm these results, TRPM7 could one day be part of a new treatment that slows or even reverses some of the damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
Other recent studies also point to the importance of healthy habits in preventing Alzheimer’s. Poor lifestyle choices—such as lack of exercise, unhealthy diets, and too much stress—may increase the risk. Meanwhile, scientists are exploring new drugs, including ones that target early signs of brain damage or inflammation.
While a full cure is still out of reach, the discovery about TRPM7 brings us one step closer to understanding this complicated disease—and perhaps finding a way to stop it.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia, and strawberries can be good defence against Alzheimer’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about foods that reduce Alzheimer’s risk, and oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
