Aging Molecule Restores Memory in Alzheimer's Study

A molecule that naturally exists in your body might be the key to protecting your memory as you age.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore discovered that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (CaAKG) can restore memory functions damaged by Alzheimer's disease. The compound improved how brain cells communicate and brought back early memory abilities that typically fade first in patients.

The breakthrough, published in Aging Cell, represents a major shift in how scientists think about treating Alzheimer's. Instead of fighting symptoms after severe damage occurs, this approach targets the aging process itself before problems begin.

Professor Brian Kennedy, who led the study, explains that AKG levels naturally decline as we age. His team found that boosting this molecule helped repair weakened connections between neurons and restored associative memory, one of the first cognitive abilities Alzheimer's takes away.

The research team discovered exactly how CaAKG works its magic. The molecule restored long-term potentiation, the process that strengthens connections between neurons and makes learning possible. In Alzheimer's disease, this critical process breaks down completely.

CaAKG also activated the brain's internal cleanup system, removing damaged proteins that accumulate in diseased neurons. The compound worked through a newly identified pathway, improving brain flexibility while avoiding receptors that amyloid buildup typically damages.

The Bright Side

What makes this discovery especially promising is safety. Because AKG already exists in our bodies and declines naturally with age, treatments based on it could offer fewer risks than current medications. This means broader accessibility for patients who need gentler options.

The findings could also help people long before Alzheimer's symptoms appear. By targeting the biology of aging itself, this approach might delay cognitive decline in healthy adults and support brain health across entire populations.

Dr. Sheeja Navakkode, the study's first author, notes that understanding these cellular mechanisms opens new doors. Scientists can now explore how longevity compounds originally studied for extending healthy lifespan might protect specific organs like the brain.

Singapore's researchers chose this path deliberately. With one of the world's longest life expectancies, the country faces a challenge many nations will soon share: people living their final decade coping with poor health. This research aims to compress those difficult years and extend the healthy ones.

The next steps involve testing whether CaAKG can complement existing Alzheimer's treatments in human trials. If successful, this natural compound could become part of a broader strategy to help people not just live longer, but think clearly and remember joyfully throughout their lives.