Most of us fear losing our memory more than almost anything else. The idea of forgetting the people we love or the life we’ve built is terrifying — and yet, Alzheimer’s disease continues to affect millions worldwide with no cure in sight.
But new research from Aarhus University in Denmark suggests that your daily choices may hold more power than you think.
A breakthrough that could rewrite the textbooks
A research team led by Professor Thomas Willnow has uncovered what appears to be a missing piece in the Alzheimer’s puzzle — and it centers around how the brain fuels itself.
Their study, published in Nature Metabolism, reveals that as we age, our brain cells gradually lose their ability to use glucose, the body’s primary source of energy. To survive, they switch to burning fat instead.
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However, for the roughly one in four people who carry a genetic variant known as APOE4 — sometimes referred to as the “Alzheimer’s gene” — that switch doesn’t work properly.
The gene appears to block the brain’s ability to use fats as an energy source, starving neurons of the fuel they need.
Over time, those starved brain cells begin to break down, eroding memory and cognitive function.
The brain’s broken battery
Willnow compares the brain to a hybrid car — one that can run on both electricity (glucose) and fuel (fat).
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If the battery stops working, the car dies when it runs out of gas. Similarly, the brain begins to fail when its backup energy source — fat — is cut off by the APOE4 gene.
The discovery not only changes how scientists understand Alzheimer’s but also points to new ways to prevent or delay it.
Existing drugs that improve how the body processes fats might one day be repurposed to help protect the brain.
Until then, Willnow stresses that lifestyle plays a powerful role in keeping the disease at bay — even for those with the APOE4 gene.
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What you can do to protect your brain
According to the research, the habits that protect the heart also protect the brain. Regular exercise, staying socially active, and eating a diet rich in plants, fish, nuts, and seeds appear to strengthen brain resilience.
These foods are high in polyunsaturated fats, which send signals that help brain cells use fat as fuel — an essential process as we age.
Even without knowing your genetic status, you can lower your risk by building a “fit brain” through mental challenges like learning a language or playing an instrument. A strong, active mind can better compensate for neuron loss later in life.
As Willnow puts it, the science suggests one clear message: you can’t outrun your genes, but you can stay one step ahead of them.
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Artiklen er baseret på informationer fra Illustreret Videnskab
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