--- title: "Psych News Alert: Protein Active in Fetal Development May Also Protect Against Alzheimer's in Late Life" description: A new study published yesterday in Nature suggests that a protein thought to be a key element in the brains of fetuses during development ... image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/purple%20brain_94968319-Jun-24-2025-03-31-18-9207-PM.jpg --- 6/24/24 11:16 AM # Protein Active in Fetal Development May Also Protect Against Alzheimer's in Late Life ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html) | ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/purple%20brain_94968319-Jun-24-2025-03-31-18-1550-PM.jpg?width=192&height=200&name=purple%20brain_94968319-Jun-24-2025-03-31-18-1550-PM.jpg) | | | --- | --- | A new [study](http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13163.html#affil-auth) published yesterday in *Nature* suggests that a protein thought to be a key element in the brains of fetuses during development may play a critical role in dementia in older people. The protein, known by the acronym REST, is severely depleted in the brains of older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias, but seems to offer protection against those disorders in healthy older adults, according to research led by Tao Lu, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and colleagues. "REST represses genes that promote cell death and Alzheimer's disease pathology and induces the expression of stress response genes," the researchers explain. But "REST is lost from the nucleus" in AD and other dementias, they point out, but was found in levels three times as high in subjects aged 73 and older who did not display dementia symptoms. The protein is barely detectable in young adults, they note. “This is one of the most fascinating genetic studies in medicine I have seen in a long time," geriatric psychiatrist and former APA President Dilip Jeste, M.D., told *Psychiatric News*. "Whereas typical genetic investigations focus on genes and proteins that increase the risk of specific diseases, this study examines the role of a protective protein—REST—that appeared to reduce the risk of developing dementia in highly vulnerable older adults with multiple plaques and tangles in their brains.... The suggested reactivation of a fetal protein in old age that may serve to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is remarkable. Finally, the reported association of lithium with promoting REST activity may open new windows into our understanding and possible treatment of dementias. It may also shed new light on the cognitive impairment that is commonly seen in people with mood disorders. Obviously, any specific study has its limitations, and much further work is needed to replicate and extend these results. Nonetheless, there is reason for cautious optimism that new discoveries may be on the horizon.” Read more about Alzheimer's research in the *Psychiatric News* articles, "[High BDNF Levels May Offer Protection Against Alzheimer's](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=1820453)" and "[Plasma APOE Levels Linked to Dementia Risk](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=1812257)." (Image: lightspring/Shutterstock) [Alzheimer's disease](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alzheimers-disease), [dementia](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/dementia), [REST](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/rest), [protein](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/protein) ## Related posts [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/creativity%20lost%20in%20AD_129327068-Jun-24-2025-03-29-00-0277-PM.jpg?height=200&name=creativity%20lost%20in%20AD_129327068-Jun-24-2025-03-29-00-0277-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/12/bdnf-may-protect-against-alzheimer.html) [Alzheimer's disease](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alzheimers-disease), [depression](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/depression), [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor-bdnf) ## [BDNF May Protect Against Alzheimer's, Study Suggests](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/12/bdnf-may-protect-against-alzheimer.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/24/24 11:16 AM Higher blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) appear to protect against... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/12/bdnf-may-protect-against-alzheimer.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/genetic_52453933-Jun-24-2025-10-43-18-9994-PM.jpg?height=200&name=genetic_52453933-Jun-24-2025-10-43-18-9994-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/07/gene-mutation-appears-to-protect.html) [Alzheimer's disease](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alzheimers-disease), [gene mutation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/gene-mutation) ## [Gene Mutation Appears to Protect Against Alzheimer's](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/07/gene-mutation-appears-to-protect.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 7/12/12 12:00 AM A group of Scandinavian researchers has discovered a rare gene mutation in the amyloid beta... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2012/07/gene-mutation-appears-to-protect.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Alzh_73445617-Jun-24-2025-03-21-13-2612-PM.jpg?height=200&name=Alzh_73445617-Jun-24-2025-03-21-13-2612-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/protein-analysis-narrows-diagnosis-of.html) [Alzheimer’s](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/alzheimers), [amyloid protein](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/amyloid-protein) ## [Protein Analysis Narrows Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/protein-analysis-narrows-diagnosis-of.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/24/24 11:16 AM Lightspring/Shutterstock Ordinarily, Alzheimer’s disease can only be diagnosed after death.... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2011/06/protein-analysis-narrows-diagnosis-of.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T15:31:49.229Z", "datePublished" : "2024-06-24T15:16:15.000Z", "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Protein Active in Fetal Development May Also Protect Against Alzheimer's in Late Life", "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/purple%20brain_94968319-Jun-24-2025-03-31-18-9207-PM.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2014/03/protein-active-in-fetal-development-may.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg" } } } ```