“My research project is looking at a means to pick up these biological changes before any of the clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's develop.”
Watch the full interview with Dr Timothy Couttas below.
Project Summary:
Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia, and while much research has focused on amyloid plaques and tau tangles, growing evidence suggests damage to the brain’s white matter also plays a key role. White matter contains myelin, a fatty coating that insulates nerve fibres and enables smooth communication between brain cells. As myelin breaks down, brain signalling falters and memory and thinking decline.
Myelin contains specialised fats called glycosphingolipids (GSLs), which are crucial for its stability and function. In previous work, Dr Timothy Couttas identified a group of GSLs containing a structure known as sphingadiene, or d18:2. These lipids appear to accumulate in Alzheimer’s brains when their normal clearance pathway is disrupted. As they build up, they may weaken the myelin structure and leave nerve fibres vulnerable. Dr Couttas’s animal studies show that when their clearance pathway is reduced, d18:2 GSLs rise before any visible signs of myelin loss, suggesting they could act as an early marker of disease.
This project will examine whether these abnormal lipids accumulate in human brain tissue before myelin and tau damage appears, and whether they alter the physical properties of myelin itself. Advanced imaging will map where the lipids build up and how this relates to white matter damage. Through investigating this emerging pathway in Alzheimer’s disease in Alzheimer’s disease, this research may open up opportunities for earlier diagnosis and new treatments aimed at protecting or restoring myelin health.
The Brain Foundation is dedicated to funding the next generation of Australian research into brain disorders, diseases, and injuries, with the ultimate goal of advancing diagnoses, treatments, and patient outcomes.