Protein Renewal Could Stave Off Alzheimer's

The renewal of a gene-regulating protein may be used to thwart Alzheimer's in aging adults, according to new research out from Harvard University.

The research, published in the scientific peer-reviewed journal Nature, showed that a protein once thought to only appear in a person prenatally might in-fact resurface in old age to help prevent dementia.

The protein in question, dubbed REST, is known to be active in the developing brain of a fetus. Previous studies have concluded that the protein protects developing brains from adverse influence while a child is still in their mother's womb. Until now, REST wasn't thought have had a role in the adult brain, getting "switched off" after birth.

However, according to Harvard researchers, the protein, which was mildly detectable in early adulthood, suddenly became extremely active in study participants 70 to 80 years old. The protein was found present and active in the majority of participants with healthy minds between the ages of 73 and 106. However, in the case of Alzheimer's patients, the researcher found that the protein was almost completely absent from cells in parts of the brain associated with memory -- primarily the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus regions.

Interestingly, an analysis of previously recorded data from the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project allowed the Harvard research team to show that the REST protein likely has a dementia-preventative nature. According to their findings, REST levels were significantly higher in patients with Alzheimer's-related brain anomalies who showed no signs of dementia, compared to Alzheimer's patients who exhibited massive cognitive decline.

Developing a way to encourage the resurfacing of the REST protein may be an ideal way to preventatively treat Alzheimer's and, more importantly, its symptoms of cognitive decline.

Still, a larger and more comprehensive study still must be done to confirm these findings and determine how exactly the REST protein prevents dementia, according to the Harvard researchers.

The study was published in Nature on March 19.