New brain-body connections expand understanding of Alzheimer's disease
· Medical Xpressedited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
Sadie Harley
Scientific Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process
Andrew Zinin
Chief Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
trusted source
proofread
The GIST Add to Preferred Sources
Research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging has found strong connections between physical health and brain health. These new connections were presented at Neuroscience 2026, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
Researchers have studied AD for more than a century, but it remains an incurable condition that affects more than 7 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association, and 35–40 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Scientists are exploring a range of interrelated mechanisms between the body and brain that may contribute to AD. In doing so, they aim to develop and improve treatments.
New findings show that:
- Long COVID patients had "leaky gut" symptoms that were related to higher amyloid levels in blood, adding evidence that the gut microbiome has a role in increased risk for AD development.
- Older adults—even healthy ones—had less efficient brain waste-clearance systems that were associated with decreased cognitive function.
- Patients who died from AD had plastic-like particles in or around blood vessels in their deep brain tissue, suggesting these particles may increase the risk of blood vessel hemorrhage or inflammation.
- In a rat model of preclinical AD, rats given probiotic and prebiotic supplements did not develop early learning and memory deficits, suggesting that changes in gut bacteria can influence early AD progression.
"Many different systems of the body can contribute to Alzheimer's disease," said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, professor at the University of Copenhagen and moderator of the press conference.
"The research presented at Neuroscience 2026 showcases cutting-edge insights about contributions from the gut, vasculature and the brain's plumbing system," the latter referring to the glymphatic system, which Nedergaard and her team discovered in 2012.
Key medical concepts
Alzheimer's DiseaseFlora, IntestinalGlymphatic SystemAmyloid
Clinical categories
NeurologyHealthy agingCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by Society for Neuroscience Who's behind this story?
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: New brain-body connections expand understanding of Alzheimer's disease (2026, November 14) retrieved 14 November 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-brain-body-alzheimer-disease.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.