TTUHSC researcher part of study on cancer drug’s potential positive effects on Alzheimer’s disease - KCBD

Decourt has worked in Alzheimer's research since 2009, logging more than 15 years in the field. The disease, as defined by the Alzheimer's Association, affects memory, thinking, and behavior through abnormal protein buildup in the brain. "These are called the plaques, you may have heard about amyloid-beta plaques, and there's another protein called tao tangles," Decourt said.

The search for an Alzheimer's treatment has stretched across decades and drawn researchers from around the world. Decourt's involvement traces back to a 2009 meeting with colleagues from Arizona, which set him on the path to exploring whether drugs developed for other conditions might hold answers for dementia patients.

For the roughly 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, any crossover discovery from oncology research would represent a significant shift in how the disease might be treated. TTUHSC's participation puts Lubbock in the middle of that conversation.

Alzheimer's is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and no treatment has yet been shown to stop its progression.