Unveiling sugar's role in combating Alzheimer's
Scientists just found that a type of sugar stored in our brains—glycogen—might play a bigger role in Alzheimer's than anyone realized.
Turns out, glycogen teams up with tau proteins (the usual suspects in Alzheimer's), which could open the door to new ways to treat or maybe even slow down the disease.
How glycogen affects neurons
When tau proteins latch onto glycogen, it stops the sugar from breaking down, so neurons end up overloaded.
This extra glycogen stresses out brain cells and makes them weaker.
But when researchers boosted an enzyme called GlyP, it helped clear out the extra sugar and actually protected neurons.
Eating less can boost GlyP activity
The study also found that eating less—or taking certain drugs that mimic this effect—can ramp up GlyP activity and shield brain cells.
This might explain why some diabetes meds are showing promise for dementia.
Targeting how our brains handle sugar could be a fresh path for Alzheimer's treatments.