New research published in Nature Communications suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may first impair cognitive flexibility—the brain’s ability to adapt, learn new rules, and adjust to changing situations—months before memory loss becomes noticeable. Using animal models, scientists found that overactive brain circuits linked to decision-making disrupted flexible thinking while memory remained intact. Encouragingly, calming these hyperactive pathways restored cognitive function and reduced amyloid-beta buildup, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Although the findings still need confirmation in humans, they highlight cognitive flexibility as a promising early marker for diagnosis and a potential target for treatments aimed at slowing disease progression before irreversible brain damage occurs.
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