Alzheimer: brain connectivity as a new therapeutic target and key measure for drugs
01.12.2025
In recent months, Alzheimer’s research has undergone a turning point with the approval of new immunotherapy drugs capable of reducing amyloid plaques, one of the main features of the disease. However, the clinical benefits remain modest, sparking a debate on how to truly assess their effectiveness.
In this context comes the study Brain Connectivity as a New Target for Alzheimer’s Therapy?, coordinated by the University of Padua and conducted with the Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland and Chiesi Farmaceutici, which proposes a shift in perspective: considering brain connectivity — the way in which different areas of the brain communicate — as a new therapeutic target and a key measure for drug evaluation.
“Brain connectivity is a sensitive and early indicator of Alzheimer’s-related changes,” explains Lorenzo Pini from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Padua and first author of the study. “It’s an approach that views the brain as a dynamic network of connections. We are applying this model to stroke and tumors as well, demonstrating how transversal this paradigm is within the field of neurology.”
“Our review highlights how strengthening brain connectivity can help improve the evaluation of drugs, but also open the way to new therapies capable of acting on the brain’s ecosystem as a whole,” says Maurizio Corbetta, Department of Neuroscience at the University of Padua and corresponding author of the study.
“The study shows the value of synergy between research and industry,” emphasizes Bruno Imbimbo, Global Project Leader at Chiesi Farmaceutici and co-author of the study, “a collaboration that will allow us to develop advanced models that guide the discovery of truly effective therapies for patients.”
This perspective thus opens a “third path” in the fight against Alzheimer’s: not only plaques and clinical symptoms, but also the health of brain connections as a primary target.
