Could This Brain Protein Be the Key to Combating Alzheimer's?

A naturally occurring brain protein may help defend against one of the most damaging processes involved in Alzheimer's disease, according to new research that found boosting the protein reduced toxic tau buildup, brain shrinkage and loss of connections between nerve cells in mice.

The study, published July 17 in Science Advances by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys, focused on a protein called SORLA, which scientists say appears to act as a protective mechanism against tau pathology—a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia known as tauopathies.

Tau normally helps maintain the structure and function of neurons by stabilizing microtubules, the internal scaffolding that supports nerve cells. But in Alzheimer's disease, tau proteins can accumulate inside neurons and form abnormal clumps known as tau tangles. These tangles are associated with cognitive decline, disrupted brain function and neuron death.