Experts from the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology in Moscow and their colleagues have discovered that the combined action of heavy ions (charged particles) and gamma rays can reduce symptoms of cognitive impairment in mice exhibiting features similar to Alzheimer's disease. The study, funded by the Russian Science Foundation, has been published in the journal Biology and may offer new approaches to treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Alzheimer's disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder, affects approximately 50 million people worldwide and currently has no cure, with existing treatments only able to slow symptom progression. Research indicates that the disease is associated with chronic brain inflammation caused by damage to microglia, leading to the accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in neural tissue, ultimately destroying neurons. Scientists hypothesize that ionizing radiation (such as heavy ions and gamma rays) may regulate microglial function, suppress neuroinflammation, and prevent neuronal death.

In the experiment, researchers from the Serbsky Center in Moscow, the Scientific Center for Biomedical Technologies of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, the Kurchatov National Research Center, and the Institute of Physiologically Active Substances of the Russian Academy of Sciences divided laboratory mice into three groups: a healthy group (13 mice), a transgenic Alzheimer's disease model group (18 mice), and a tauopathy model group (19 mice). Some mice received a total dose of 0.24Gy of gamma rays and 0.18Gy of carbon-12 heavy ions (far below tumor radiotherapy doses), while the control group received no radiation.

Behavioral tests showed that irradiated Alzheimer's model mice exhibited significant improvements in nesting and odor discrimination abilities, while spatial memory and learning improved in the healthy group and tauopathy group. Further analysis revealed that concentrations of interleukins involved in inflammation regulation increased 1.5 to 2 times in the neural tissue of irradiated mice, aiding in the clearance of toxic proteins and promoting neuronal repair.

The research team noted that combined irradiation improves cognitive function and behavioral symptoms in animals with neurodegenerative diseases by regulating microglial activity. If human trials confirm its effectiveness, this discovery could provide a new strategy for Alzheimer's treatment.

Project leader and senior researcher at the Serbsky Center, Viktor Kokhan, stated that future plans include screening optimal radiation doses and compositions, as well as expanding to other genotypes of neurodegenerative disease models to verify whether combined radiotherapy can achieve a cure or is limited to symptomatic treatment.