A molecule involved in the brain’s mechanism for resolving inflammation might stave off memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease, a study in mice suggests.
Inflammation is a normal part of the immune system’s response to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens and toxins. Once the body has neutralized the threat, it deploys specialized molecules that resolve the inflammation. However, this inflammation-resolving mechanism can fail, resulting in chronic inflammation.
This has implications in a wide range of illnesses, including heart disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s may affect as many as 5.5 million people in the United States and millions more around the world.