Increasing Sox9 Protein Enhances Brain Cells to Clear Alzheimer’s Plaques

Sun, 03 May 2026 01:40:00 +0200

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered a method to enhance the brain's natural ability to fight Alzheimer’s disease by focusing on astrocytes, star-shaped support cells crucial for brain function. The team found that raising levels of the protein Sox9 in mice with established Alzheimer’s symptoms improved astrocytes’ structure and activity, enabling them to remove toxic amyloid plaques effectively. Mice with higher Sox9 levels maintained better cognitive function, suggesting a potential pathway to slow memory decline and cognitive impairment. Unlike most current treatments that target neurons or prevent plaque formation, this approach leverages the brain’s intrinsic cleaning system. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, emphasizes the need for further research to understand Sox9’s role in human aging brains and its potential as a therapeutic target. This finding could represent a new direction in Alzheimer's treatment by boosting the brain’s own defense mechan