We just got the news that a team of researchers in Spain has developed a pioneering nanotechnology-based approach that reverses Alzheimer's disease in mice by targeting the brain's blood-brain barrier rather than neurons themselves.
The study, led jointly by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the West China Hospital of Sichuan University, in collaboration with UK partners, uses bioactive nanoparticles (so-called "supramolecular drugs") to repair the blood-brain barrier.
This critical vascular interface regulates the brain's environment, allowing harmful proteins to be cleared from the bloodstream. In Alzheimer's disease, the accumulation of beta-amyloid protein disrupts normal neuronal function.
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In the study, genetically engineered mice producing high levels of beta-amyloid received just three doses of the nanoparticles. Within one hour, beta-amyloid levels dropped by 50-60%, and long-term experiments showed full recovery of cognitive functions in older mice.
Junyang Chen, co-author and researcher at West China Hospital, explains (via elDiario.es): "The effect comes from restoring cerebral vasculature, which triggers a feedback mechanism that helps the brain eliminate toxic proteins and regain balance."
Neuropathologist Alberto Rábano of Fundación CIEN described the results as "very promising and biologically interesting" but emphasized that translating this preclinical proof-of-concept to human treatments will require significant further research.
Ultimately, the findings suggest a new therapeutic avenue for Alzheimer's, focusing on the blood-brain barrier as a key target for disease modification, rather than solely on neurons or conventional drug delivery. What do you think about this new discovery?