Scientists discover a protein that protects the brain from Alzheimer’s damage - ScienceDaily

What the report says

ScienceDaily, citing materials from Sanford Burnham Prebys, reported that researchers have identified a possible protective role for SORLA, a natural brain protein, against tau-related damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The study was reported July 17, 2026, in Science Advances, with ScienceDaily publishing the institutional summary on July 20.

Tau normally helps maintain the structure of neurons, but in Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies it can form abnormal tangles linked to disrupted brain function, cognitive decline and neuron loss. The Sanford Burnham Prebys team studied mice engineered to develop tau tangles, brain atrophy and cognitive problems, then compared outcomes when SORLA levels were increased or removed.

According to the report, mice with elevated human SORLA showed reduced tau accumulation, less brain shrinkage and healthier synapses, the connection points between neurons. The researchers also found that added SORLA appeared to limit tau hyperphosphorylation and reduce the ability of abnormal tau to seed larger clumps. In contrast, mice lacking Sorl1, the gene that encodes SORLA, had more severe tau-related damage.

The study also pointed to changes in glial cells, which support and regulate the brain environment, including activity involving plexin-B family receptors. Researchers said this could offer a future drug-targeting route, including possible repurposing of existing drugs, but the findings remain preclinical. The team plans further work using human neurons or glial cells in mouse models to better assess how SORLA mutations may influence human disease.