Unveiling brain sugar's role in Alzheimer's disease
Researchers have uncovered a new way to help prevent Alzheimer's: keeping the brain's sugar metabolism in check can stop harmful tau proteins from piling up—one of the main drivers behind neurodegeneration.
Interestingly, some diabetes and weight loss drugs (GLP-1 agonists) may already offer this protection.
How tau proteins affect brain's sugar metabolism
The team found that when tau proteins latch onto glycogen (the brain's stored sugar), it blocks its breakdown.
This leads to excess sugar and makes it harder for neurons to handle stress, speeding up damage.
But by activating an enzyme called GlyP, normal sugar processing returns and tau buildup drops—a result seen in both fruit flies and human neurons.
GLP-1 drugs are already used to treat diabetes
Boosting GlyP—naturally through fasting or with GLP-1 drugs—could give brains a better shot at fighting off Alzheimer's.
It opens up a fresh angle for treatment using medicines that are already out there, which is pretty promising for anyone worried about dementia down the line.