Drug improved brain blood flow for those at greater risk of Alzheimer’s

A new study suggests that an anti-aging drug may help improve blood flow to the brains of individuals at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Ai-Ling Lin, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, is researching ways to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Her focus is on people who carry the APOE4 gene variant, which is linked to a greater risk of Alzheimer’s.

This gene variant often results in reduced blood flow to specific brain regions before memory issues arise, making this a potential early sign of Alzheimer’s risk. In her latest study, Lin discovered that the anti-aging drug increased blood flow to the brains of healthy middle-aged adults who carry the APOE4 gene. Lin explains that Alzheimer’s tends to affect older individuals, particularly those with the APOE4 gene.

She hopes that by slowing down brain aging in those most at risk, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may be reduced. Prior to her current position at Mizzou, Lin researched the drug rapamycin, which is commonly used to prevent organ transplant rejection and treat rare diseases. She found that rapamycin can also slow down brain aging and enhance blood flow in the brains of mice with the APOE4 gene.

For this recent study, Lin aimed to determine if the same benefits would apply to people aged 45-65 who carry the APOE4 gene but haven’t yet developed Alzheimer’s symptoms. Participants, both with and without the gene variant, took a low dose of rapamycin daily for four weeks. The results showed that only those with the APOE4 gene experienced improved brain blood flow, indicating that the drug could potentially preserve cognitive function in those at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Additionally, Lin observed that females with the APOE4 gene showed the most significant improvement in brain blood flow, which is noteworthy considering that nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women. This research exemplifies precision medicine, as the study identifies which individuals are most likely to benefit from the drug. The findings were published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism.