Brain HealthBoosting Brain Protein Sox9 Clears Alzheimer's Plaques and Preserves Memory in Mice
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that increasing a protein called Sox9 in brain support cells called astrocytes helped clear amyloid plaques and preserve memory in mice already showing Alzheimer's symptoms. Astrocytes are star-shaped cells that maintain brain health, but their function declines with age. By boosting Sox9, which controls gene activity in aging astrocytes, the team significantly improved plaque clearance over six months. Mice with higher Sox9 levels performed better on memory and recognition tasks and had less plaque accumulation. Published in Nature Neuroscience, this research suggests a strategy that works with the brain's own cleaning system rather than targeting plaques directly, potentially offering a new therapeutic angle for Alzheimer's disease.
