Nearly all Michiganders age 50 and over say it’s very important to keep their brains healthy as they grow older, a new poll finds. But less than half (47%) of middle-aged and older Michiganders know that everyday actions can be very important for reducing their future risk of dementia.

Researchers at Niigata University’s Brain Research Institute have discovered that amyloid precursor protein (APP), long associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), plays a previously unknown protective role in clearing nuclear-derived waste material via lysosomal exocytosis. Reduced APP function or familial AD-associated APP mutations impair this clearance, promoting neuroinflammation and cell death. The findings suggest that nuclear damage and intracellular waste clearance failure may contribute to AD pathogenesis.

A large USC-led study found that the APOE ε4 gene variant — the strongest common genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease — may be linked differently to brain amyloid buildup in Hispanic older adults compared to non-Hispanic white older adults. Analyzing data from more than 17,000 participants across five major aging and Alzheimer's disease studies, researchers found that while APOE ε4 was associated with higher amyloid burden in both groups, the association was weaker among Hispanic participants. The findings suggest that cognitive impairment in Hispanic older adults may not always be driven by amyloid in the same way, and that other biological, vascular, or social factors may also contribute. The study underscores the need for more diverse populations in Alzheimer's research, particularly as anti-amyloid therapies become an increasingly central part of treatment.

The study, led by the Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH and EPFL (Switzerland), shows that the molecule OLE helps microglia enclose and contain beta-amyloid plaques, reducing their size and toxicity.

The research, published in the journal Cell Death and Disease, could pave the way for a new strategy to combat Alzheimer’s disease by restoring the protective function of the brain’s immune system.