New research has uncovered an unexpected link between the brains of newborns and those of adults living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Both groups show elevated levels of a protein called phosphorylated tau (p-tau217) — a key biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s. The findings, published in Brain Communications, suggest that while high tau levels contribute to brain damage in Alzheimer’s patients, they may play a beneficial role in early brain development.
Tau proteins are central to the formation of amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles, the hallmark brain changes of Alzheimer’s. Yet, in newborns, researchers found that tau appears to support neuron growth and the formation of critical connections between brain cells.
“This indicates the brain may have built-in defenses that allow infants to tolerate, and even benefit from, high tau levels without suffering Alzheimer’s-like damage,” said study lead author Fernando Gonzalez-Ortiz, a doctoral researcher at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. “If we can understand how newborn brains regulate tau, we may be able to replicate those mechanisms to slow or halt Alzheimer’s progression.”
The study analyzed blood samples from more than 400 participants, ranging from premature newborns to older adults with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s. Researchers reported that newborns had the highest p-tau217 levels, often surpassing those of diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients.
Levels were especially elevated in premature infants, then gradually declined within months to match those of young adults. Importantly, the degree of prematurity correlated with tau concentration, suggesting the protein may help support accelerated brain development under challenging conditions.
The research team emphasized that further studies are needed to uncover why newborn brains resist the harmful effects of tau accumulation. Understanding these protective mechanisms could lead to breakthrough therapies for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions.
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