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: 21-Jun-2026 21:16 ET (22-Jun-2026 01:16 GMT/UTC)

16-Feb-2026

Researchers connect the dots between cause-effect events in Alzheimer’s disease

Baylor College of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study reveals a path of cause-effect molecular events that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Researchers integrated postmortem human brain gene expression analyses with laboratory fruit fly studies. Their goal was to better understand how typical Alzheimer’s brain changes, such as the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, can lead to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Their cross-species approach revealed that some paths seem to aggravate the disease while others may protect against it.

Journal: Molecular Psychiatry

16-Feb-2026

Discover a new ‘cellular target’ to understand and treat alzheimer’s disease

University of Malaga
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the NeuroAD group (Neuropathology of Alzheimer’s Disease) within the Department of Cell Biology, Genetics and Physiology at the University of Málaga, also affiliated with IBIMA–BIONAND Platform and CIBERNED, have made a pioneering breakthrough in the fight against this disease by identifying astrocytes as a promising cellular target for the development of future therapies.

Journal: Journal of Neuroinflammation

13-Feb-2026

VR exam checks eye health and screens for early signs of Alzheimer’s

University of California - Davis Health

UC Davis researchers are using virtual reality to make eye exams easier for seniors and to investigate whether the platform can detect early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Journal: International Ophthalmology
Funder: UC Davis Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement

13-Feb-2026

How the human exposome will unlock better health and medicine:

Exposome Moonshot
Meeting Announcement

A high-level scientific panel moderated by the Financial Times titled: “How the human exposome will unlock better health and medicine”, gathers three leaders of the Global Exposome Forum from the United States and Europe, to brief delegates from the global scientific community on progress made since its launch in Washington D.C. in May, 2025.

Meeting: 2026 AAAS Annual Meeting

12-Feb-2026

FAMU-FSU Engineering joins Mayo Clinic to research Alzheimer’s disease treatments

Florida State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from Mayo Clinic Florida, Florida State University and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering are collaborating to develop innovative treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

In research published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, they developed a more accurate cellular model for brain disease research, a tool that could help scientists create better treatments for patients.

Journal: Advanced Healthcare Materials

12-Feb-2026

Researchers identify promising Alzheimer’s disease drug target

Indiana University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists found that removing an enzyme from neurons in the brain substantially reduces amyloid plaques — a hallmark characteristic of the disease — and may provide further resilience against disease progression.

Journal: Journal of Fluid Mechanics