St. Jude researchers revealed that midkine blocks amyloid beta from forming harmful clumps linked to Alzheimer’s. Without it, the damaging assemblies accelerate, but with it, growth halts. The finding could inspire new drugs that harness midkine’s protective power.
Maybe being able to reverse that damage will reveal if that is a cause, or maybe it will eliminate if as a cause. Both would be important steps toward treating it. Inconclusive results would be depressing though, yes.