Medicine & Health

Stress causes the levels of Alzheimer’s proteins to rise in females’ brains but not males’ brains, according to a new study in mice by researchers at the School of Medicine. This difference may contribute to women’s greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

An FDA-approved sleeping pill reduced levels of Alzheimer’s proteins in a small study of healthy volunteers led by School of Medicine researchers. The study hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop Alzheimer’s progression, although much more research is needed regarding such an approach.

Three School of Medicine researchers — Enmanuel Perez, Ibrahim Saliu and Steffen Storck — have received funding from the Alzheimer’s Association for projects that aim to study and make progress against the disease.

A new study from researchers at the School of Medicine indicates that T cells play a key role in neurodegeneration related to the brain protein tau, a finding that suggests new treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s and related diseases.

Brian Lananna, a postdoctoral research scholar in developmental biology at the School of Medicine, has received a three-year $215,478 postdoctoral fellowship award from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Research from the lab of Hong Chen, at the McKelvey School of Engineering and the School of Medicine, and collaborators found that using focused-ultrasound-mediated liquid biopsy in a mouse model released more tau proteins and another biomarker into the blood than without the intervention. This noninvasive method could facilitate diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders.

Gut bacteria can influence brain health, according to a study of mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The School of Medicine study findings suggest a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The School of Medicine and pharmaceutical company Eisai Co. Ltd. have formed a research collaboration aimed at developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

A study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine yields clues to why certain parts of the brain are particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer’s damage. It comes down to the gene APOE, the greatest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Rejuvenating the immune cells that live in tissues surrounding the brain improves fluid flow and waste clearance from the brain — and may help treat or even prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine.