EurekAlert! In the Spotlight - Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

In honor of Alzheimer's Awareness Month, we’re exploring the science and stories surrounding Alzheimer’s disease.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 10-Sep-2025 00:11 ET (10-Sep-2025 04:11 GMT/UTC)

5-Aug-2025

Anti-neuroinflammatory natural products from isopod-related fungus now accessible via chemical synthesis

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

"Herpotrichone" is a natural substance that has been evaluated highly for its excellent ability to suppress inflammation in the brain and protect nerve cells, displaying significant potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. This substance could only be obtained in minute quantities from fungi that are symbiotic with isopods. However, KAIST researchers have succeeded in chemically synthesizing this rare natural product, thereby presenting the possibility for the development of next-generation drugs for neurodegenerative diseases.

Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society
Funder: National Research Foundation of Korea

4-Aug-2025

Brown University neuroscientists help identify a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease progression

Brown University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using a custom-built tool to analyze electrical activity from neurons, researchers at Brown University have identified a brain-based biomarker that could be used to predict whether mild cognitive impairment will develop into Alzheimer’s disease.The findings were published in Imaging Neuroscience.

Journal: Imaging Neuroscience
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health

1-Aug-2025

The human touch of doctors will still be needed in the AI healthcare revolution, technology expert suggests

Taylor & Francis Group
Book Announcement

AI-based medicine will revolutionise care including for Alzheimer’s and diabetes, predicts a technology expert, but it must be accessible to all patients.

31-Jul-2025

Study pinpoints key mechanism of brain aging

Stanford University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study of killifish reveals how protein dysfunction develops in vertebrate brain cells, a key driver of aging – shedding light on cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.

Journal: Science

31-Jul-2025

Improving human memory, movement and quality of life

Texas A&M University
Grant and Award Announcement

With support from WoodNext Foundation, Dr. Jessica Bernard aims to develop treatments that have the potential to help those with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Funder: WoodNext Foundation

31-Jul-2025

Magnetic surfaces found to steer Alzheimer’s-linked protein growth

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New study shows that the way amyloid proteins—implicated in Alzheimer’s disease—assemble into fibrils can be significantly influenced by the spin orientation of electrons on magnetized surfaces. Depending on the direction of the magnetization and the chirality of the protein building blocks, the researchers observed major differences in the number, length, and structure of the resulting fibrils. These findings suggest that electron spin, through a mechanism known as Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity (CISS), plays a direct role in protein self-assembly, pointing to a new and previously overlooked physical factor that could be harnessed to control or interfere with amyloid formation in neurodegenerative diseases.

Journal: ACS Nano