We are promoting GLIA 1, a journey beyond the neurons

After decades of focusing research on neurons and the accumulation of amyloid and tau proteins, we opened a new frontier in the approach to Alzheimer's with the launch of GLIA 1. The project, led by Dr. Gemma Salvadó, group leader of the Neuroimaging Research Group at the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), our research center, is the first in Spain and a pioneer in the world in exploring microglia and astroglia, two key cell types for brain function and defense that will allow us to understand the role of neuroinflammation in the evolution of the disease.

These cells have long been relegated to the background in Alzheimer's research. However, they were already observed in the first cases described by Alois Alzheimer. non-neuronal cells that reacted around the amyloid plaques. Now, thanks to new neuroimaging technologies, GLIA 1 wants to recapture that intuition and place these cells at the center of research. “These defense cells may play a key role in how the brain responds to the accumulation of pathology”, Salvadó affirms.

Observing the brain in ways never before possible

For the first time in Spain, a new PET tracer will allow researchers to observe the activation of microglia and astroglia in living individuals. The study will analyse the response of these cells in cognitively healthy individuals and in individuals at different stages of the disease. The goal is to better understand the role of neuroinflammation and moving towards more precise medicine. On the one hand, the aim is to improve the ability to predict who will progress, when, and at what rate. On the other hand, the goal is to identify new therapeutic targets—that is, new points on which future drugs can act.

“We see that when beta-amyloid protein begins to accumulate, these cells go into defense mode and become activated. We find them around the plaques, where they compact them”, the researcher explains. Beta-amyloid is a protein that accumulates in the brain in the form of plaques, one of the hallmark features of Alzheimer’s disease. Initially, the response of these cells is protective. However, if it persists over time, it can trigger a continuous inflammatory process that ends up damaging neurons and the connections between them.

A "camera" inside the brain

The study will use positron emission tomography (PET), a neuroimaging technique that allows researchers to observe biological processes occurring in the brain. To perform the test, participants will be administered a small amount of a radioactive tracer that travels to the brain and binds to proteins associated with the activation of microglia and astroglia. This will allow the research team to detect and quantify neuroinflammation from the outside and without invasive procedures, as well as identifying in which regions of the brain this activation is concentrated and at what intensity.

The images will compare it with other biomarkers, which are biological indicators that allow us to detect changes in the brain. The aim is to better characterise risk profiles and establish how these inflammatory signals relate to the initial stages of the disease. “We hope to gain a better understanding of why this disease is so heterogeneous, so that we can better identify who is most likely to respond to a particular treatment”, Salvadó adds.

The study began before summer with a thirty participants from the ALFA and Beta-AARC cohorts of the BBRC, and its objective is to reach, at least 80 participants. It has the approval of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) and is financed by the Carlos III Health Institute and European funds.

The project is made possible by the commitment of a community of participating people. One of them is Laura Sirerol, aged 70, who is part of the ALFA cohort, a study involving more than 2,700 volunteers and supported by the ”la Caixa” Foundation. Sirerol has already undergone neuropsychological assessments, MRI scans, a lumbar puncture and a PET scan."Things won't move forward if you don't do your part", she says.

A campaign to accelerate research

To make this new step in research possible, the Foundation has launched a donation campaign aimed at raising 250,000 euros. Over 60% of our resources come from members, patrons and donors, a community of more than 120,000 people. Those who wish to support the project can do so through this link or by calling our toll-free number 900 545 545. Donations are eligible for tax relief under form 80% for the first €250 and form 40% for the remainder.

The knowledge generated by GLIA 1could help pave the way for more effective treatments, or treatments that can be combined with the first drugs approved to slow the progression of the disease. Through this project, we are reaffirming our commitment to research that brings us closer to a future without Alzheimer’s.

Find out more on our website: https://masalladelasneuronas.org/