Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 06, 2026 1 hour, 33 minutes ago
Medical News: How Two Brain Processes Drive Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide, slowly damaging memory, thinking, and daily functioning. Scientists now increasingly agree that two closely linked processes sit at the heart of the disease: the buildup of toxic amyloid beta protein clumps in the brain and long-lasting inflammation of brain tissue. A new scientific review brings these mechanisms together and explains why treating both at the same time may be essential.
Scientists reveal how targeting both brain plaques and inflammation could reshape Alzheimer’s treatment.
Amyloid Plaques and Brain Cell Damage
Amyloid beta is a protein fragment produced naturally in the brain. In healthy individuals, it is cleared away efficiently. In Alzheimer’s disease, however, this balance breaks down. Amyloid beta sticks together, forming small toxic clusters and eventually larger plaques that disrupt communication between brain cells. These plaques interfere with energy production, trigger oxidative stress, and weaken connections needed for memory and learning.
Inflammation Turns from Defense to Harm
The brain has its own immune system, mainly controlled by support cells called microglia and astrocytes. Early on, these cells try to protect the brain by clearing amyloid buildup. Over time, constant exposure to amyloid plaques pushes them into a chronic inflammatory state. Instead of helping, they release inflammatory chemicals that damage neurons and accelerate brain shrinkage, creating a destructive feedback loop.
Why Current Treatments Fall Short
Existing Alzheimer’s drugs mostly focus on easing symptoms or slowing plaque buildup slightly. Even newer antibody treatments that remove amyloid plaques do not stop the disease and can cause serious side effects. This
Medical News report highlights that inflammation often continues even after plaques are reduced, suggesting that targeting amyloid alone is not enough.
Natural Compounds Offer Multi Target Hope
The researchers reviewed evidence showing that certain natural compounds can influence both amyloid aggregation and inflammation. Substances such as curcumin from turmeric, resveratrol from grapes, green tea compounds, saffron extracts, ashwagandha, and cannabidiol have shown promising effects in laboratory and animal studies. These compounds reduce toxic protein clumping, calm overactive immune cells, and protect neurons from stress.
Nanotechnology Helps Medicines Reach the Brain
One major challenge is that many natural compounds cannot easily cross the blood–brain barrier. To solve this, scientists are developing tiny delivery systems such as nanoparticles and lipid carriers. These technologies improve stability, absorption, and direct targeting of brain tissue, dramatically increasing the potential effectiveness of these treatments.
Research Institutions Behind the Study
The research was conducted by scientists from th
e Bioanalytical Laboratory at the GAIA Research Center of the National Natural History Museum Goulandris in Athens, the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the Department of Pharmacology at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Conclusions And Future Directions
The findings strongly suggest that Alzheimer’s disease cannot be effectively managed by focusing on a single target. Amyloid buildup and brain inflammation are deeply interconnected and reinforce each other over time. Future therapies combining anti-amyloid strategies, inflammation control, and advanced drug delivery systems may finally offer meaningful disease-modifying benefits and improve quality of life for patients and families worldwide.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Cells.
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/3/295
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