Copper-delivering drug repairs brain pumps to clear toxic Alzheimer’s proteins

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journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience suggests that a copper-delivering drug can repair a vital waste-removal system in the brain, leading to lower levels of toxic Alzheimer’s proteins. By restoring these cellular pumps, the treatment provides evidence of improved learning and spatial memory in an animal model of the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain condition marked by memory loss and cognitive decline. A primary feature of this disease is the buildup of amyloid-beta. This is a naturally occurring protein fragment that tends to clump together to form toxic plaques in the brain. In a healthy biological system, the body continuously flushes these proteins out of the brain tissue and into the bloodstream. This waste removal process relies heavily on the blood-brain barrier. This structure is a highly selective border of cells that protects the brain from harmful...