Researchers have identified a potential new pathway by which gut bacteria may enter the brain, providing fresh insight into the gut-brain axis and its possible role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in PLOS Biology, found that a short-term high-fat diet disrupted the intestinal barrier in mice, allowing…
Category: Alzheimer’s Disease
Decline in work productivity may begin years before early-onset dementia diagnosis
People who develop early-onset dementia may experience a gradual decline in work productivity up to 15 years before receiving a diagnosis, according to a new Finnish study published in Neurology. The findings highlight the substantial personal and economic impact of dementia during working age and suggest that subtle cognitive changes may affect employment long before…
FDA approves at-home subcutaneous lecanemab initiation for early Alzheimer’s disease
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental biologics licence application for LEQEMBI IQLIK (lecanemab-irmb) as a once-weekly subcutaneous initiation treatment for adults with early Alzheimer’s disease. The decision makes LEQEMBI IQLIK the first anti-amyloid therapy approved for both initiation and maintenance dosing at home using an autoinjector in the United States….
Blood test could improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, study suggests
A novel blood test based on circular RNA biomarkers could improve the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and identify people at risk years before symptoms develop, according to research published in Nature Medicine and highlighted by biotechnology company Circular Genomics. The study analysed almost 2,400 participants across three independent cohorts and found that a blood-based…
First view of alpha-synuclein pathology in the living brain
Researchers have reported the first successful visualisation of pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates in the living human brain using a novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, a development that could transform the diagnosis and monitoring of Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, describes the development and validation of [11C]MODAG-005, a…
Women with Parkinson’s may have more Alzheimer’s-related brain changes than men, study suggests
Women with Parkinson’s disease may be more likely than men to show Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain, according to research presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2026. The study, led by researchers at Mayo Clinic Arizona, examined 230 autopsy-confirmed cases of Parkinson’s disease from the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders and…
Review questions benefits of anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drugs
A Cochrane review has found that anti-amyloid drugs for early Alzheimer’s disease may offer little clinically meaningful benefit, despite years of hope surrounding the treatment approach. Researchers said the overall effects on cognitive decline and dementia severity were absent or trivial when measured against accepted thresholds for meaningful patient improvement. The review analysed 17 clinical…
Anavex withdraws EU application for Alzheimer’s drug blarcamesine
Anavex Life Sciences has withdrawn its European marketing authorisation application for blarcamesine, a potential treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease, following a negative assessment from regulators. The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use had concluded in December 2025 that the drug’s benefits did not outweigh its risks. After initially requesting a re-examination…
MIT researchers develop self-implanting nanotech brain devices
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed microscopic wireless bioelectronic devices capable of travelling through the bloodstream and autonomously implanting in inflamed regions of the brain, potentially offering a future alternative to surgically implanted neurostimulation systems. The technology, described as “circulatronics”, was led by Deblina Sarkar, PhD, of the MIT Media Lab. The…
Increased tau protein levels linked to neurocognitive long COVID symptoms
A new study has reported elevated blood levels of a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease in some people experiencing long-term neurological symptoms after COVID-19 infection. The findings raise concerns that neurocognitive long COVID may be linked to biological changes associated with neurodegeneration, although the authors stress that causation has not been established. The study, published…
