Researchers Announce ‘Breakthrough’ in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

Rockville, Md. (February 25, 2021)—Researchers from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine describe promising new results of an Alzheimer’s disease treatment study as a “breakthrough.” The study, conducted in mice, shows that a blood flow deficit in the brain can be corrected within minutes by restoring the PIP2 lipid that is critical to blood flow. The research suggests that using PIP2 to correct the deficit in blood vessels that sense nearby neuronal activity will result in directing critically needed blood flow to active brain regions. Mark T. Nelson, PhD, the lead researcher on the study, calls it a breakthrough because correcting the blood flow deficit in the brain means reversing a potential major contributor to Alzheimer’s disease.

Read the full article, “PIP2 improves cerebral blood flow in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease,” published ahead of print in Function. Contact the APS Communications Office or call 301.634.7314 to schedule an interview with a member of the research team.