Alzheimer’s: How Emerging Gene Editing Strategies Could Transform Treatment
Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, 2701 Holston Ln, Rolesville, North Carolina 27571, United States
Abstract
Despite decades of research and testing, Alzheimer’s disease remains a progressive and currently terminal neurodegenerative disorder which affects over 55 million people across the world. It is a leading cause of mortality among the elderly without a full cure. Treatments for Alzheimer’s primarily try to temporarily reduce amyloid-beta and tau accumulation in the brain, with these types of treatments being temporary. The effects of Alzheimer’s, including neuroinflammation, memory loss, and metabolic stress, renders Alzheimer's disease one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions to date. This paper aims to find theoretical methods and solutions to improve Alzheimer’s treatment. Biomarkers, such as p -tau217, p -tau181, A - beta42/40 ratios, and neurofi lament can also be used for early Alzheimer’s detection. These biomarkers can enable earlier and more accurate detection of this disease, giving us the opportunity for earlier therapeutic intervention and treatment of Alzheimer’s in patients. Gene editing technologies have emerged as promising strategies to modify amyloid-beta and tau production to alleviate Alzheimer’s. While CRISPR -Cas9 has seen success in reducing amyloid and tau production, several underused genetic tools, such as TALENs, Zinc Finger Nucleases, base and prime editors, and the newly developed seekRNA, offer unique advantages in precision or large scale DNA modification when dealing with mutations and diseases, especially with Alzheimer’s. However, challenges such as side effects, size, and the blood brain barrier are still formidable obstacles; continued innovation in delivery systems, including engineered AAV capsids, lipid nanoparticles, and focused ultrasound, has the possibility to enable safe and effective deployment of these tools inside of the brain and central nervous system. Together, with a combination of these methods, these strategies offer a theoretical framework for future Alzheimer’s modifying therapies that may one day move beyond symptom management.
Keywords
Keywords: Alzheimer’s; Gene Therapy; seekRNA; tau tangles; TALENs; amyloid‑beta
Introduction
Alzheimer’s disease imposes a growing burden on aging populations, and mechanistic models increasingly link amyloid-beta dyshomeostasis and tau propagation to synaptic loss and cognitive impairment. Gene editing technologies have matured rapidly, raising the prospect of durable molecular interventions beyond symptomatic treatment.
Conclusion
Gene editing and related RNA-guided strategies could eventually complement conventional AD therapeutics, but successful translation will require rigorous preclinical models, improved CNS delivery, and careful evaluation of off-target effects. Continued interdisciplinary work across neuroscience, molecular engineering, and clinical trial design remains essential.
How to Cite
Potluri, Harshith. Alzheimer’s: How Emerging Gene Editing Strategies Could Transform Treatment. Journal of Youth Impact. April 2026; 1(Issue 2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.66245/jyi.v1.i2.001