Washing Alzheimer’s Disease Off the Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the aging population, yet there is no cure to stop the progression of the disease. We propose to study a protective mechanism that drains outside the brain potentially harmful toxins associated with the development of AD, such as beta-amyloid and tau proteins, and that has been recently characterized in animal models. We will use data from two large international studies of AD to investigate this mechanism in subjects at high risk for developing dementia associated with the disease. In investigating this mechanism for the first time in humans, our study could set the ground for future development and testing of therapeutic approaches to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s dementia.

Our research project investigates the glymphatic pathway of clearance, a protective mechanism that drains outside the brain potentially harmful toxins associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), such as beta-amyloid and tau proteins, and that has been recently characterized in animal models. We use data from two large international studies of genetic and sporadic AD to investigate this mechanism in subjects at high risk for developing dementia associated with the disease. We use neuroimaging data to assess the glymphatic pathway and estimate its correlation with established AD biomarkers of beta-amyloid and tau pathology and neurodegeneration that are used to monitor the progression of the disease. In investigating this protective mechanism for the first time in humans, our study could set the ground for future development and testing of therapeutic approaches targeting the glymphatic pathway of clearance to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s dementia.