Novel vaccine may hold key to prevent or reduce the impact of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease now accounts for 50% to 70% of dementia patients worldwide. The current study's novel vaccine test in mice points to a potential way to prevent or modify the disease.

A novel vaccine that targets inflamed brain cells associated with Alzheimer’s disease may hold the key to potentially preventing or modifying the course of the disease, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions 2023. The meeting is in Boston, July 31–Aug. 3, 2023, and offers the latest research on innovations and discovery in cardiovascular science.

In this study, the research team created an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model that mimics a human brain and simulates amyloid-beta-induced Alzheimer’s disease pathology. To test the efficacy of the SAGP vaccine, the mice were treated with a control vaccine or the SAGP vaccine at two and four months old. Usually, people in the late stage of Alzheimer’s lack anxiety, which means they are not aware of the things around them. The mice who received the vaccine had anxiety, which means that they were more cautious and more aware of things around them – a sign researcher say could indicate a lessening of the disease. In addition, several inflammatory biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease were also reduced.

After vaccination, the mice had fewer amyloid plaques and less inflammation in brain tissue and showed improvement in behavior and awareness.“By removing microglia that are in the activation state, the inflammation in the brain may also be controlled. A vaccine could target activated microglia and remove these toxic cells, ultimately repairing the deficits in behavior suffered in Alzheimer’s disease.

Reference: Novel vaccine may hold key to prevent or reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease; AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION