Scientists Just Found 200+ Hidden Proteins That May Drive Alzheimer’s

  

# Scientists Just Found 200+ Hidden Proteins That May Drive Alzheimer’s Imagine peering into the brain and finding a hidden army of culprits behind Alzheimer’s disease, far beyond the usual suspects we’ve been chasing for decades. That’s exactly what scientists at Johns Hopkins University uncovered in a groundbreaking 2025 study: over 200 misfolded proteins that could be quietly wreaking havoc on memory and cognition. This discovery is shaking up everything we thought we knew about Alzheimer’s, opening new doors to treatments that could change millions of lives. Let’s dive into this game-changing find and what it means for the future. ## Beyond Amyloid and Tau: A New Alzheimer’s Frontier For years, Alzheimer’s research has been laser-focused on two proteins: **amyloid-beta** and **tau**. These sticky troublemakers clump into plaques and tangles, gumming up neurons and disrupting brain function. They’re the big, ugly villains you can spot under a microscope, so it’s no wonder they’ve hogged the spotlight. But a new study published in *Science Advances* on July 11, 2025, suggests they’re just the tip of the iceberg.[](https://scitechdaily.com/alzheimers-iceberg-200-hidden-proteins-that-may-be-quietly-destroying-memory/)[](https://hub.jhu.edu/2025/07/11/misfolded-proteins-alzheimers-dementia/) Led by Dr. Stephen Fried at Johns Hopkins, researchers studied the brains of aging rats and found something startling: **214 misfolded proteins** in cognitively impaired rats that stayed perfectly normal in their sharp-minded peers. These proteins don’t form clumps like amyloids, making them stealthy saboteurs that slip past the brain’s cleanup crew. “Amyloids are big and ugly and easy to spot,” Fried says, “but we’re seeing hundreds of proteins misfolding in ways that don’t clump together and yet still seem to impact how the brain functions.”[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14897001/Alzheimers-disease-study.html) ## How They Found the Hidden Culprits The team zeroed in on the **hippocampus**, the brain’s memory hub, in 17 two-year-old rats raised in identical conditions. After putting the rats through memory and problem-solving tasks, seven showed clear cognitive decline, while the other ten performed like spry six-month-olds. The researchers then analyzed over 2,500 proteins in the rats’ hippocampi, using cutting-edge techniques to spot which ones were misfolded. The result? Over 200 proteins were misshapen only in the impaired rats, hinting they’re key players in cognitive decline.[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14897001/Alzheimers-disease-study.html) These misfolded proteins aren’t just sitting there—they’re failing at their jobs, disrupting critical brain functions. Normally, cells have a surveillance system to spot and destroy these misbehaving proteins, but these sneaky ones seem to dodge it. How? That’s the million-dollar question Fried and his team are racing to answer. ## Why This Discovery Is a Big Deal This isn’t just a cool lab finding—it could rewrite the playbook for Alzheimer’s research. Here’s why: ### A Broader Battlefield Focusing solely on amyloid and tau has led to treatments like **Aduhelm** and **Leqembi**, which target plaques but often fall short in slowing the disease. By uncovering 200+ new proteins, scientists now have a wider range of targets for therapies. It’s like realizing the enemy isn’t just two big tanks but a whole swarm of smaller, hidden drones.[](https://www.science.org/content/article/potential-fabrication-research-images-threatens-key-theory-alzheimers-disease) ### New Hope for Early Detection These proteins could be biomarkers for Alzheimer’s, detectable in blood tests years before symptoms appear. A 2024 study in *Nature Aging* already identified proteins like **GFAP** and **NEFL** that predict dementia risk a decade in advance. Adding these 200+ proteins to the mix could make early diagnosis even more precise, giving doctors a head start.[](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/proteins-may-predict-who-will-get-dementia-10-years-later-study-finds-2024-02-12/) ### Fresh Treatment Horizons If these proteins are driving damage, targeting them could lead to drugs that don’t just mask symptoms but actually slow or stop Alzheimer’s. For example, a 2025 study from Emory University found that proteins like **midkine** and **pleiotrophin** accelerate amyloid buildup, suggesting new therapeutic targets. This new discovery could spark similar breakthroughs.[](https://news.emory.edu/stories/2024/08/hs_alzheimers_12_08_2024/story.html) ## The Bigger Picture: Alzheimer’s Is More Complex Than We Thought This study builds on a growing realization that Alzheimer’s is a tangle of causes, not a single villain. A 2024 NIH-funded study suggested the disease unfolds in two phases: a slow, silent buildup of plaques and immune activation, followed by a rapid cascade of damage once symptoms appear. These hidden proteins might be active in that early, quiet phase, offering a chance to intervene before it’s too late.[](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/alzheimer-s-disease-may-damage-brain-two-phases) Meanwhile, other research is uncovering new angles. A 2025 study from the Buck Institute found that a sugar-related enzyme, **GlyP**, could protect neurons by clearing toxic tau, hinting at links between brain metabolism and protein misfolding. Another from USC identified a cholesterol-related protein, **ABCA1**, that, when trapped, fuels inflammation and Alzheimer’s risk. These findings all point to one thing: Alzheimer’s is a puzzle with many pieces, and we’re just starting to see the whole picture.[](https://keck.usc.edu/news/usc-led-study-finds-potential-new-drug-target-for-alzheimers-disease/)[](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250630073442.htm) ## What’s Next? The Road to New Treatments The Johns Hopkins team isn’t stopping here. They’re digging deeper to figure out which of these 200+ proteins are the worst offenders and how they evade the brain’s defenses. Dr. Keith Vossel from UCLA cautions that human studies, like autopsies or hippocampal tissue analysis, are needed to confirm these findings. But the potential is huge: new drugs, better diagnostics, and maybe even ways to prevent Alzheimer’s altogether.[](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14897001/Alzheimers-disease-study.html) For now, this discovery is a beacon of hope for the 6.9 million Americans over 65 living with Alzheimer’s—and the millions more worldwide. With no cure yet, every new clue counts. Want to stay in the loop? Check out the full study in [*Science Advances*](https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adt3778) or explore the latest Alzheimer’s research at [ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com). The fight against Alzheimer’s just got a major upgrade, and the future looks a little brighter. **Tags**: #Alzheimers #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #Dementia #ProteinMisfolding #MedicalBreakthrough #ScienceNews