A study reported by ScienceDaily has identified a surprising driver of Alzheimer's disease outside the brain. Researchers found that immune cells involved in Alzheimer's-related brain damage may be activated in lymph nodes before traveling into the nervous system.
In experiments with mice, blocking this activation pathway dramatically reduced neurodegeneration and preserved cognitive abilities. This suggests that the peripheral immune system plays a more direct role in the disease process than previously recognized.
The results are based on animal models, so it is not yet known whether the same mechanism operates in humans. If confirmed, the pathway could offer a target for therapies aimed at intervening before immune cells reach the brain.