A new mouse study published in Science Translational Medicine suggests that xenon could be used as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that inhaling xenon activates the brain’s immune cells, called microglia, to break down plaques and reduce inflammation in the brain.
Researchers have long been searching for alternative approaches to treating Alzheimer’s, which has seen limited success with existing treatments. While three drugs have been approved in recent years, they have not lived up to expectations. The new study offers a promising solution, providing a potential scaffold for microglial-focused clinical studies.
Xenon is already used as an anesthetic and to treat brain damage caused by lack of oxygen. Previous studies have shown that xenon can protect neurons exposed to toxic solutions in mouse cell cultures. The new study builds on these findings by using different mouse models representing various characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.
The results show that xenon helps microglia regain their ability to break down beta-amyloid proteins, which accumulate between neurons and harm the brain. In mice with Alzheimer’s-like protein profiles, those treated with xenon had lower levels of these proteins. The study also found that xenon improved cognitive tests in mice with APOE4, a genetic variant that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s.
The findings have sparked hope among researchers, who plan to move forward with a Phase 1 clinical trial to test the safety of xenon in healthy volunteers. If successful, this treatment could provide a relatively simple and effective way to treat Alzheimer’s disease through inhalation.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/15/alzheimers-research-new-study-xenon-gas-boost-brain-immune-cells-science-translational-medicine