Scientists at Monash University in Australia have found an experimental way to improve memory in Alzheimer’s disease. They achieved this effect using a copper-based compound. Its application helped the brain clear toxic proteins associated with the development of the disease, according to the study. The findings were published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience.
In Alzheimer’s disease, harmful protein deposits accumulate in the brain. Normally, the brain gradually flushes such “waste” into the bloodstream, but in the disease this clearance system becomes less effective. As a result, toxic proteins remain in tissues and can damage nerve cells.
The researchers tested a compound that delivers copper to the brain and helps restore the clearance system’s function. In mice with signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the amount of toxic proteins fell by 42% after 56 days of treatment, while performance on spatial memory tests improved by nearly 44%.
This approach could represent a new direction in Alzheimer’s therapy – not just targeting already accumulated proteins but helping the brain clear them on its own, the scientists said.