Sandy's Note: New Study Shows...

“New study shows Alzheimer’s disease can be reversed to achieve full neurological recovery” Case Western Reserve, 2/2/2026

As some of you know, I chew on many of the articles published each month around dementia. Each article has its value when you dive into the details. My first question is always, is the lead trying to sell me something that sounds amazing? Next is always, who is pitching the information, followed by, who has done the real work behind the details? Then I go to the bottom to read the discussion and what the research has really identified.

The articles making news around the reversal of Alzheimer’s have significant value when you look at the details. Let’s look at the published article “Pharmacologic reversal of advanced Alzheimer’s disease in mice and identification of potential therapeutic nodes in human brain”, Cell Reports Medicine 7, 102535, January 20.2026, Published by Elsevier, Inc.

The article opens by identifying that there are individuals who carry genetic markers for Alzheimer’s disease who may not develop symptoms until very late in life, and others who have physical Alzheimer’s amyloid plaques but remain cognitively intact through life. This study is looking for a reason for that difference in an individual outcome.

I really like diving into this research direction. Searching for a route cause that separates cognitive decline Alzheimer’s from non-demented Alzheimer’s neuropathology. People who have amyloid plaques and tau tangles without cognitive decline.

The study was performed using mice as test participants. Mice do not get Alzheimer’s, so the mice used are modified to exhibit 5 separate Alzheimer’s linked mutations. A coenzyme with the abbreviation NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is essential in the body and found in every mitochondrion of every cell. Some of NAD's functions are cellular energy production, resilience against oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration. It has been identified that there is a decrease in NAD in both mice and humans with aging and with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The question, therefore, became, what if the balance of NAD can be restored or even reversed, and if so, can cognitive ability be regained?

A synthetic compound, P7C3-A20, was prepared for the test mice. The compound is a blood-brain barrier-permeable compound that is an activator for an increase in NAD. One group of mice had amyloid protein plaques, and the other group had Tau protein tangles. A dosage of the compound was not provided above natural and normal levels. Administration of the compound restored the NAD balance and protected the mice from developing Alzheimer’s symptoms, and also allowed the mice to fully restore cognitive function.

The Bottom line – the authors believe they are challenging the view that Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed. Diving into the new direction for route cause, looking at molecular chemistry changes in the brain appears to be showing promise for the future. Recognize that science and medicine move slowly. This research with mice is promising; P7C3-A20 is still in preclinical trials for human use.