April 2025 Alzheimer’s News

While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s Disease has long evaded scientists, new research published in the journal “Alzheimer’s and Dementia” suggests there could be a single, simple cause. The study analyzed existing research and data, including a 2022 study that found most biological pathways can be linked to A.D., and proposed that “stress granules” may be the reason Alzheimer’s Disease develops in some people and not others. These “stress granules” disrupt molecule movements between a cell’s nucleus and its cytoplasm (the jelly-like substance that surrounds the nucleus where important chemical processes occur). The disruptions mess with a slew of essential biological processes, including cell survival and metabolism, and gene expression, the researchers theorized. The changes in gene expression then led to some of the key markers seen in Alzheimer’s patients: tau protein tangles and inflammation. “Stress granules” are basically clumps of proteins and RNA (a nucleic acid in cells with similar structures to DNA) that form when a cell is under stress. These clumps form temporarily in the cell in response to stress in the environment. They help the cell press “pause” on normal functioning until it recovers. Normally these “stress granules” serve an important purpose: helping protect the cell, then dissolving when the stressful event is over. In people with Alzheimer’s Disease, the granules don’t seem to dissolve, which keeps the essential molecules from moving in and out of the cell’s nucleus as they normally would. If the stress is chronic, the cell’s normal business is affected. That can eventually harm the cell and could lead to the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.

You can learn more by going to www.alz.org/help-support/resources or the Alzheimer’s Helpline which is accessible 24/7 via 800-272-3900 and staffed by master’s level clinicians to assist with crisis situations, decision making, and disease information. Tools and support are also available in Spanish.

Want to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association and what they do here in St. Louis? Visit alz.org and/or contact PUCC’s Faith Outreach Ambassador with the Alzheimer’s Association, Joyce Ruiz at joyceruiz7@gmail.com