A study by the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), a research center of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, has identified that the accumulation of beta amyloid can, on its own, cause brain damage in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, even without elevated levels of the tau protein. This work, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, assessed brain atrophy and cognitive decline in two independent cohorts of asymptomatic individuals: ALFA and EPAD.

“In recent years, the first drugs have been approved to reduce the accumulation of beta amyloid in the brain of people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. This advance suggests that intervening at early stages, before symptoms appear, could slow the progression of the disease. Beta amyloid appears to directly affect the hippocampus, a key region for memory, so acting early could significantly reduce the risks associated with Alzheimer’s,” says Dr. Raffaele Cacciaglia, BBRC researcher and leader of the study.

You can read the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14415

You can read the BBRC press release here: https://www.barcelonabeta.org/en/news/press