Researchers found impaired monocyte development in mouse models of Alzheimer’s, with a similar pattern in patients. In mice, targeted therapy restoring bone marrow monocyte production improved disease pathology and increased monocyte-derived macrophages’ movement into the brain.
The study found that Alzheimer’s disrupted an immune alarm signal in mice that helps bone marrow send monocytes to the brain. Stem cells in affected mice matured earlier and lost their long-term ability to replenish the immune system. Researchers suspect stem-cell renewal may also be exhausted early in patients, alongside signs of accelerated ageing in the blood system.
The research was conducted largely in mice, and researchers said more studies are needed before the findings can be translated into therapies for humans.
