Dr. Nilufer Tanner: New Study Explores Alzheimer's Treatment and Prevention

Dr. Wala Hafez states that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform daily activities. Although advancing age is the most prominent risk factor, it does not alone explain why some individuals develop the disease while others do not; genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors are also believed to play a role. Researchers are working to understand how these factors interact and affect the brain, according to Dr. Nilufer Artkin Tanner, a neurologist and chair of the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Florida, who holds both an MD and a PhD.

Dr. Tanner explained that Alzheimer’s research has long focused on two brain proteins, amyloid and tau, whose accumulation is among the disease’s hallmark features. While these two proteins remain important, researchers now recognize that Alzheimer’s is a complex disease involving multiple biological processes that extend beyond amyloid and tau accumulation. In this context, a recent study conducted by Mayo Clinic has revealed another aspect that may help improve understanding of the disease.

Activating or silencing genes: Dr. Tanner noted that genes are segments of DNA carrying instructions that help cells perform their functions. Cells can turn certain genes on and others off as needed, without altering the DNA itself. This process is known as “epigenetic regulation,” involving changes that affect gene activity and can be influenced by aging, disease, and environmental factors.

In the study, researchers examined brain tissue from hundreds of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, searching for changes that affect gene activity. They identified several alterations associated with tau protein, which is linked to the disease. The study also focused on the potential role of oligodendrocytes, cells that help protect nerve fibers by producing myelin, a substance that coats these fibers and facilitates efficient signal transmission between cells. Damage to this myelin layer can weaken communication within the brain.

Dr. Tanner, the study’s lead author, explained that Alzheimer’s may not be limited to neuronal damage but may also affect the systems that help these cells communicate with one another. This discovery could help researchers understand new aspects of the disease and identify other mechanisms that may contribute to its progression.

Looking for treatments? Dr. Tanner stated that these findings are not expected to change the diagnosis or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease at present. Scientists still need to confirm the results, understand the impact of these changes in the brain, and determine whether they can be leveraged to develop safe and effective therapies. She noted that researchers’ interest in epigenetics stems from the fact that some changes regulating gene activity may be reversible, unlike inherited changes in DNA. These findings could potentially allow future therapies to target these processes, but this will require further research.

She added that such studies help uncover new research pathways and may explain why Alzheimer’s affects individuals differently. The deeper scientists understand the disease, the greater the chances of developing prevention and treatment strategies that account for differences among patients. Researchers hope that publishing these results will expand knowledge of the disease and accelerate scientific discoveries, thereby supporting the development of more effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders.