Scientists at Emory University’s Goizueta Brain Health Institute and partner institutions have identified proteins in the blood that may shed new light on how Alzheimer’s disease develops and affects memory.
The findings, published in Nature Aging, are based on an analysis of more than 2,100 blood samples collected across four major research groups. Using advanced methods, researchers measured thousands of proteins and linked them to changes in brain function and memory loss.
Beyond amyloid plaques
For decades, doctors have focused on sticky amyloid plaques in the brain as a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. However, the new research shows that many other processes also play a role. Proteins related to the immune system, energy use, waste removal, and the body’s structural support, known as the extracellular matrix, were linked to problems with memory and thinking.
Evidence points outside the brain
Importantly, many of the protein changes could not be explained by known brain abnormalities linked to Alzheimer’s. That finding suggests processes outside the brain, including those in the blood and other organs, may influence both risk and disease progression.
“Many of the proteins we found in blood are not directly tied to what we see in the brain after death,” said Erik Johnson, MD, PhD, senior author and physician-researcher at Emory’s Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “This means that what’s happening in the rest of the body could play a role in Alzheimer’s risk and how fast the disease progresses.”
Pathway to new treatments and tests
The study highlights the possibility of treatments targeting blood-based pathways rather than focusing only on drugs designed to reach the brain.
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“This study advances our understanding of proteins in the blood that change with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Allan Levey, MD, PhD, executive director of the Goizueta Institute at Emory. “This work is foundational to the development of blood tests for detecting different pathologies that occur in the brain along with amyloid plaques, and for clinical translation.”
Toward simpler diagnosis
Blood tests could also provide a simpler, less invasive way to study and monitor Alzheimer’s. Current diagnostic methods often require costly brain imaging or spinal fluid collection. A blood-based test would be more accessible for patients.
Wide research collaboration
The work drew on participants from Emory University’s Alzheimer’s research programs, the Bio-Hermes study, and two long-term projects at Rush University in Chicago: the Religious Orders Study and the Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP).
By identifying blood proteins connected with memory decline, the study reinforces the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s is not only a brain disorder but also one influenced by changes in the body.
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