Study shows young blood can slow Alzheimer’s in mice
New research shows that aging blood can accelerate Alzheimer’s-like changes in the brain, while younger blood may offer protection. In mouse experiments, older blood worsened memory performance and increased toxic protein buildup linked to the disease. The study also uncovered widespread changes in brain proteins tied to communication and signaling. The findings point to the blood as a powerful influencer of brain health—and a promising new therapeutic target.
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia worldwide and remains one of the most serious challenges facing public health systems. New findings published in the journal Aging-US suggest that substances circulating in the blood may influence how quickly the disease advances. In experiments with mice, researchers found that blood from older animals sped up Alzheimer's related damage, while blood from younger mice appeared to have a protective effect.
The study was conducted by scientists from the Instituto Latinoamericano de Salud Cerebral (BrainLat) at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, working alongside collaborators from MELISA Institute, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and Universidad Mayor.
How Alzheimer's Damages the Brain
Alzheimer's disease is marked by the buildup of beta-amyloid protein (Aβ) in the brain. These proteins clump together to form plaques that interfere with communication between neurons and trigger processes that gradually damage brain tissue. While beta-amyloid is produced in the brain, recent research has suggested that it can also be detected in the bloodstream. This discovery has raised new questions about whether blood-based factors might play a role in how the disease progresses.
Testing the Effects of Young and Old Blood
To investigate this possibility, the researchers used Tg2576 transgenic mice (a model widely used in Alzheimer's research). Over a period of 30 weeks, the mice received weekly blood infusions from either young or aged donor mice. The goal was to determine whether components in the blood could affect amyloid buildup in the brain as well as memory and behavior.
According to Dr. Claudia Durán-Aniotz of the Instituto Latinoamericano de Salud Cerebral (BrainLat) at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, the results highlight the importance of looking beyond the brain itself. "This collaborative work between various institutions reinforces the importance of understanding how systemic factors condition the brain environment and directly impact mechanisms that promote disease progression. By demonstrating that peripheral signals derived from aged blood can modulate central processes in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's, these findings open new opportunities to study therapeutic targets aimed at the blood-brain axis," she explained.
Measuring Memory and Molecular Changes
The research team evaluated cognitive performance using the Barnes test and measured amyloid plaque accumulation through histological and biochemical methods. They also carried out a detailed proteomic analysis of brain tissue from the treated mice. This analysis identified more than 250 proteins whose activity levels had changed. Many of these proteins are involved in synaptic function, endocannabinoid signaling, and calcium channel regulation, offering possible explanations for the differences seen in brain health and behavior.