Just 10 days of Stimulation Can Ward Off Alzheimer’s Symptoms, Mouse Study Reveals
TOULOUSE, FRANCE – A groundbreaking new study from the University of Toulouse suggests that even a short period of environmental and social stimulation can significantly slow the appearance of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, offering a potential pathway for preventative therapies. Researchers found that just 10 days of enriched activity demonstrably improved memory function in mice genetically predisposed to develop the disease, with benefits lasting for weeks after the stimulation ended.
The research, led by Laure Verret, lecturer at the University of Toulouse, and her colleagues at the CRCA (Center de Recherche Cardiologique de Rangueil), sheds light on the neurobiological mechanisms behind “cognitive reserve”-the brain’s ability to compensate for the effects of neurodegenerative diseases. While the existence of cognitive reserve has long been recognized, the underlying processes remained a mystery.
“What we show here is that only 10 days are enough to get this effect, and especially that it is indeed maintained several weeks after,” Verret explained. In spatial memory tests, stimulated mice demonstrated an ability to recognise moved objects, and in social memory tests, they were able to recognize fellow mice - improvements not observed in mice kept in standard cages.
The team’s analysis of brain tissue revealed that the positive effects were linked to a reorganization of neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory. Specifically, they observed improvements in neurons producing the protein Parvalbumin and in “periperonal nets,” structures that stabilize neural connections and enhance memory anchoring.
Further experimentation,led by postdoctoral researcher Guillaume Bouisset,confirmed the importance of these periperonal nets. “We have injected the mouse a molecule preventing the formation of periperonal nets during the environmental enrichment period,” Bouisset stated. “The result was clear, the mice no longer showed an betterment in their memory. Conversely, when we injected them with a growth factor known to stimulate these networks, their memory came back to them.”
The findings, recently published in iScience, validate the potential of stimulation-based approaches for both elderly individuals and those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and pave the way for future treatments designed to replicate the benefits of a stimulating environment.
