Despite decades of research and enough funding to make a small nation blush, Alzheimer's remains one of medicine's most stubbornly uncooperative diseases. But researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine have now identified a naturally occurring peptide called catestatin, or CST, that they believe could counter many of the key processes behind neurodegeneration - the gradual loss of brain cells that leads to memory loss, confusion, poor judgment and, in later stages, difficulty walking, talking and swallowing.

Using mice that displayed these symptoms, researchers injected CST to evaluate its effects. In a study published this week in the journal Molecular Therapy, they found the peptide reduced the buildup of tau and amyloid proteins - both linked to Alzheimer's disease and brain cell loss - while also reducing brain inflammation and improving cognitive function and motor coordination in the mice.

This matters because current treatments for neurodegenerative diseases target either amyloid or tau proteins, but not both. CST, apparently, did not get that memo and went after everything at once.

"Our findings show that CST can act across several of these disease-associated pathways and shift the brain toward a healthier state," said senior author Sushil K. Mahata. "More broadly, the study suggests that peptide-based therapies may offer a new approach to treating complex neurodegenerative diseases."

Researchers are also investigating whether CST can alter how the brain produces and uses energy, which could help the brain become more resilient to neurodegenerative diseases.

Before anyone starts planning a victory lap, however, it remains unclear whether CST would have the same effects in humans. The study's authors said further research is needed to determine its safety, dosing and effectiveness before evaluating it as a potential treatment - because, as ever, a mouse is not a person, no matter how promising the mouse data looks.