American Brain Foundation

@ABFbrain

We bring researchers and donors together to cure brain diseases and disorders.
#CureOneCureMany

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Minneapolis, MN AmericanBrainFoundation.org Joined November 2012

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American Brain Foundation @ABFbrain Sep 23

BIG NEWS! An anonymous donor will be matching every gift the American Brain Foundation receives, dollar-for-dollar, until December 31, 2026, up to an incredible $500,000. Make your support for brain research go twice as far! ow.ly/TtIy50ZQCvM

Your gift. Doubled. Every gift to the American Brain Foundation will be matched 1:1 through December 31st.

American Brain Foundation @ABFbrain 2d

Researchers at Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) found that in cases of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), faster buildup of tau proteins in the brain is directly linked to faster progression of symptoms.

PSP & Alzheimer's Research: Faster buildup of tau proteins in the brain is associated with faster progression of symptoms in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Researchers from the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) used a highly sensitive PET tracer to evaluate accumulations of the protein at two timepoints. This provided imaging evidence that the rate of clinical decline increases with the rate of tau accumulation.

"Until now, we could see tau pathology in the brains of people with PSP, but we did not know whether changes in tau over time truly reflected the progression of symptoms", said Hironobu Endo, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, QST.

What's next? This study could provide more accurate prognoses for people with PSP, and it helps establish imaging biomarkers for evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for PSP, Alzheimer’s disease, and other conditions that involve tau accumulation.

American Brain Foundation @ABFbrain 4d

Researchers at @Stanford discovered that the brain is two separate organs that evolved independently. The #forebrain and the #hindbrain grow from genetically distinct stem cells. Our blog explains how this could help scientists study #ALS and #SMA ➡️ow.ly/euGn5104CpB

American Brain Foundation @ABFbrain 6d

Bacteria in the gut can create a compound called imidazole propionate (ImP), which can cause or speed up Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at @UWMadison confirmed this association between ImP and Alz risk—a potential basis for new prevention strategies.

Alzheimer's Research: A bacterial compound in the digestive tract may be associated with greater Alzheimer’s risk.

Imidazole propionate (ImP), produced by certain bacteria in the gut, can enter the bloodstream and increase accumulation of beta amyloid and tau proteins in the brain, causing Alzheimer’s. Biological research with mice was compared with nearly 1,200 human blood samples and cognitive tests, showing that more ImP in the blood correlated with faster cognitive decline.

$"ImP-producing bacteria are present in a large fraction of people, but they’re not very abundant in most people. ... But something we have learned over the years is that a microbe doesn’t have to be abundant to have an impact on the host" said Federico Rey, PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison.$

What's next? If an inhibitor can be found to reduce ImP in the bloodstream the way statins can lower cholesterol, that might have potential to reduce Alzheimer’s risk and slow cognitive decline.

American Brain Foundation @ABFbrain Nov 4

Meet 2026 Next Gen. Researcher Mark Bowren, PhD. He’s using ultra-high frequency stimulation to improve brain mapping and reduce risks in epilepsy surgeries. Funded with @AmEpilepsySoc and @EpilepsyFdn. #NationalEpilepsyAwarenessMonth ow.ly/w0x65103Qp2

Researcher Feature: Mark Bowren, PhD, 2026 Susan S. Spencer, MD Next Generation Research Grant in Epilepsy. Dr. Bowren will work to improve brain mapping for patients with epilepsy to temporarily pause signaling between brain regions. This insight has the potential to help make brain surgery safer for patients and improve thier long-term quality of life. This research is co-funded by the American Epilepsy Society & the Epilepsy Foundation.