Researchers at the University of Central Florida have discovered that genetic mutations linked to Alzheimer’s disease can directly interfere with the nerves controlling muscle movement, operating entirely outside the brain or spinal cord.
The study, led by James Hickman, a professor at the University of Central Florida’s Nanoscience Technology Center, alongside Research Professor Xiufang “Nadine” Guo, focuses on familial Alzheimer’s. This rare, inherited form of the disease typically emerges earlier in life, generally between the ages of 40 and 65, compared to more common forms of the condition.
Using an innovative laboratory platform known as human-on-a-chip
technology—developed and manufactured through the company Hesperos, which Hickman co-founded—the team brought human cells together in a controlled system.
By analyzing this miniature platform, the scientists measured how consistently nerve signals produced muscle contractions and tracked how long the muscles maintained activity before tiring. The experiments demonstrated that motor neurons carrying familial Alzheimer’s mutations disrupt connections responsible for controlling muscles, even when the brain and spinal cord are completely absent.
This is the first time it’s been demonstrated that deficits in the peripheral nervous system can arise directly from these mutations,
Hickman said, according to Sciencedaily. It means drugs that target the brain may not fix problems in the rest of the body.
The findings offer a potential explanation for why certain individuals with Alzheimer’s encounter alterations in their walking, balance, or coordination well before noticeable memory issues arise.
Although the research indicates that movement difficulties might eventually serve as earlier warning signs and points toward broader treatment approaches, the experiments do not establish that these peripheral changes necessarily occur before memory loss in actual patients, meaning further study is required to understand how these laboratory results mirror human disease progression.
