In what experts are calling a major step toward defeating dementia, scientists have successfully reversed Alzheimer’s disease in mice using a groundbreaking new treatment. The therapy, developed by Spanish and Chinese researchers, uses nanoparticles to restore the brain’s natural ability to clear out toxic buildup that blocks cell communication.
By “reminding” the blood-brain barrier how to function properly, the treatment allowed the mice’s brains to recover, showing dramatic improvement within just one hour. The findings offer new hope that Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, could one day be curable, as per a report by The Telegraph.
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Researchers from Spain and China discovered a way to restore the function of the blood-brain barrier, a protective system that regulates what enters and exits the brain. In Alzheimer’s patients, this gatekeeping process becomes clogged and inefficient, allowing toxic amyloid beta plaques to build up and damage neurons.
To solve this, scientists developed nanoparticles that are injected into the bloodstream. These particles travel to the blood-brain barrier, attach to it, and stimulate natural mechanisms that help the brain clear out waste and absorb nutrients more effectively, essentially teaching the barrier how to work properly again, as per a report by The Telegraph.
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“Only one hour after the injection, we observed a reduction of 50–60 per cent in amyloid beta amount inside the brain,” said Junyang Chen, first co-author of the study, researcher at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University and PhD student at University College London (UCL), as per a report by The Telegraph.
Further behavioral tests revealed even more promise. In one experiment, a 12-month-old mouse, roughly equivalent to a 60-year-old human, was treated with nanoparticles and observed six months later. The treated mouse’s behavior became identical to that of a healthy mouse, indicating a full recovery of brain function.
The therapy mimics a natural protein called LRP1, which recognizes amyloid beta and transports it across the blood-brain barrier. Once the barrier resumes its normal activity, it continues clearing harmful substances, improving blood flow, reducing brain inflammation, and allowing the system to regain balance, as per a report by The Telegraph.
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“The progress so far is very encouraging; restoring the brain’s barrier could open a new path for treating not only Alzheimer’s but also other neurological diseases,” said Prof Giuseppe Battaglia of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), who led the research.
Battaglia added that if results continue to hold up in larger studies, clinical trials in humans could begin within the next few years, as per a report by The Telegraph.
“We are optimistic that the benefits we’ve seen – improved blood flow, reduced brain inflammation, and recovery of the barrier – will translate to humans. The blood-brain barrier plays a similar role in all of us, so helping it heal could make a real difference in how we fight Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia," said Prof Giuseppe Battaglia, of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies.
What’s next for Alzheimer’s research?
There are currently no licensed drugs capable of reversing Alzheimer’s, a disease affecting around 944,000 people in Britain, with numbers expected to exceed one million by 2030. The condition now stands as the leading cause of death in the UK, costing an estimated £34.7 billion annually, as per a report by The Telegraph.
The researchers aim to begin larger preclinical trials before moving to human testing. Their study, published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, suggests that repairing the brain’s natural defenses could be the key to halting, or even reversing dementia.
How does this Alzheimer’s treatment work?
The nanoparticles “remind” the blood-brain barrier to clear out amyloid beta, allowing brain cells to communicate normally again.
When could human trials begin?
Researchers plan larger preclinical studies first, but early clinical trials could begin within a few years if funding is secured.
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By “reminding” the blood-brain barrier how to function properly, the treatment allowed the mice’s brains to recover, showing dramatic improvement within just one hour. The findings offer new hope that Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, could one day be curable, as per a report by The Telegraph.
ALSO READ:National Taco Day 2025: $1 tacos are back! Don’t miss Taco Bell’s epic deals
How does the new treatment target Alzheimer’s?
Researchers from Spain and China discovered a way to restore the function of the blood-brain barrier, a protective system that regulates what enters and exits the brain. In Alzheimer’s patients, this gatekeeping process becomes clogged and inefficient, allowing toxic amyloid beta plaques to build up and damage neurons.
To solve this, scientists developed nanoparticles that are injected into the bloodstream. These particles travel to the blood-brain barrier, attach to it, and stimulate natural mechanisms that help the brain clear out waste and absorb nutrients more effectively, essentially teaching the barrier how to work properly again, as per a report by The Telegraph.
ALSO READ: Amazon Prime settlement payouts: Find out if you are eligible for a refund
What did scientists observe after the injection?
When tested on mice genetically programmed to produce large amounts of amyloid beta , mimicking Alzheimer’s symptoms and the results were immediate and dramatic.“Only one hour after the injection, we observed a reduction of 50–60 per cent in amyloid beta amount inside the brain,” said Junyang Chen, first co-author of the study, researcher at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University and PhD student at University College London (UCL), as per a report by The Telegraph.
Further behavioral tests revealed even more promise. In one experiment, a 12-month-old mouse, roughly equivalent to a 60-year-old human, was treated with nanoparticles and observed six months later. The treated mouse’s behavior became identical to that of a healthy mouse, indicating a full recovery of brain function.
How does the treatment restore brain function?
The therapy mimics a natural protein called LRP1, which recognizes amyloid beta and transports it across the blood-brain barrier. Once the barrier resumes its normal activity, it continues clearing harmful substances, improving blood flow, reducing brain inflammation, and allowing the system to regain balance, as per a report by The Telegraph.
ALSO READ: Pam Bondi's fiery testimony at Senate hearing after Dick Durbin's questioning - key points to know
“The progress so far is very encouraging; restoring the brain’s barrier could open a new path for treating not only Alzheimer’s but also other neurological diseases,” said Prof Giuseppe Battaglia of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), who led the research.
Battaglia added that if results continue to hold up in larger studies, clinical trials in humans could begin within the next few years, as per a report by The Telegraph.
“We are optimistic that the benefits we’ve seen – improved blood flow, reduced brain inflammation, and recovery of the barrier – will translate to humans. The blood-brain barrier plays a similar role in all of us, so helping it heal could make a real difference in how we fight Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia," said Prof Giuseppe Battaglia, of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies.
What’s next for Alzheimer’s research?
There are currently no licensed drugs capable of reversing Alzheimer’s, a disease affecting around 944,000 people in Britain, with numbers expected to exceed one million by 2030. The condition now stands as the leading cause of death in the UK, costing an estimated £34.7 billion annually, as per a report by The Telegraph.
The researchers aim to begin larger preclinical trials before moving to human testing. Their study, published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, suggests that repairing the brain’s natural defenses could be the key to halting, or even reversing dementia.
FAQs
How does this Alzheimer’s treatment work?The nanoparticles “remind” the blood-brain barrier to clear out amyloid beta, allowing brain cells to communicate normally again.
When could human trials begin?
Researchers plan larger preclinical studies first, but early clinical trials could begin within a few years if funding is secured.
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