Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have identified that lowering the activity of the INPP5D gene may empower brain immune cells called microglia to tackle amyloid plaques more effectively, potentially easing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease. The findings appear in a peer‑reviewed journal focused on neurodegenerative disorders.
Earlier observations indicated that INPP5D activity correlated with the buildup of amyloid plaques in brain tissue. The researchers proposed that dampening this gene’s activity could slow disease progression. In experiments with laboratory animals, they did not completely shut the gene off; instead, they reduced its expression by about half, simulating how a therapeutic inhibitor might function in people.
Under these reduced-expression conditions, microglia showed improved capacity to break down amyloid plaques and generally demonstrated higher activity levels. The animals also maintained better cognitive performance compared with controls, suggesting a protective effect from the decreased INPP5D expression.
“The data indicate that a decline in INPP5D function may trigger responses that lower disease risk and counteract beta‑amyloid accumulation in the brain,” the study authors noted.