Washington DC, May 16 -- Researchers have shown for the first time that malfunctioning mitochondria, the cell's energy generators, may directly cause cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases.

By creating a new tool that temporarily boosts mitochondrial activity in the brain, scientists restored memory performance in mouse models of dementia. The discovery hints that energy failure inside neurons could happen before brain cells die, potentially offering a new target for future Alzheimer's treatments.

In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers from Inserm and the University of Bordeaux at the NeuroCentre Magendie, working with scientists at the Universite de Moncton in Canada, reported a major step forward in understa...