WASHINGTON, D.C. — Research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and aging has found strong connections between physical health and brain health. These new connections were presented at Neuroscience 2026, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Researchers have studied AD for more than a century, but it remains an incurable condition that affects more than seven million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association, and 35–40 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Scientists are exploring a range of interrelated mechanisms between the body and brain that may contribute to AD. In doing so, they aim to develop and improve treatments.
Today’s new findings show that:
- Long COVID patients had "leaky gut" symptoms that were related to higher amyloid levels in blood, adding evidence that the gut microbiome has a role in increased risk for AD development. (Andrei Vakhtin, University of New Mexico)
- Older adults — even healthy ones — had less efficient brain waste-clearance systems that were associated with decreased cognitive function. (Bart Rypma, The University of Texas at Dallas)
- Patients who died from AD had plastic-like particles in or around blood vessels in their deep brain tissue, suggesting these particles may increase the risk of blood vessel hemorrhage or inflammation. (Elaine Bearer, University of New Mexico)
- In a rat model of preclinical AD, rats given probiotic and prebiotic supplements did not develop early learning and memory deficits, suggesting that changes in gut bacteria can influence early AD progression. (Qi Yuan, Memorial University of Newfoundland)
“Many different systems of the body can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease," said Maiken Nedergaard, MD, co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, professor at the University of Copenhagen, and moderator of the press conference. “The research presented at Neuroscience 2026 showcases cutting edge insights about contributions from the gut, vasculature, and the brain’s plumbing system,” the latter referring to the glymphatic system, which Nedergaard and her team discovered in 2012.
For complete access to Neuroscience 2026 in-person and online, request media credentials. This research was supported by national funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health and private funding organizations. Find out more about Alzheimer’s disease and the brain on BrainFacts.
Monday, November 16, 2026
1–2 p.m. EST
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202B, and online for registered media
View the full schedule of press events on EurekAlert!
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The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 30,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system.