A protein called SORLA, already known to suppress the amyloid-beta side of Alzheimer's disease, has now been shown to also defend the brain against the toxic tau tangles that cause the other half of the disease's hallmark damage, according to new research published July 17, 2026, in Science Advances by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys in La Jolla, California.
When researchers increased SORLA levels in a mouse model of tauopathy, the mice showed significantly reduced tau accumulation, less brain atrophy, and lower activity of disease-related genes in the brain's support cells compared with mice that had normal SORLA levels. The findings position SORLA as a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease and a broader range of tau-related dementias.
