Lysosomal Storage Dysfunction

Curcumin from turmeric directly enhances lysosomal function and improves cognitive performance. Lysosomes are organelles found in every cell, including neurons, that function as the cell's waste recycling plant. The PSEN gene mutation associated with early-onset Alzheimer's operates by impairing the cell's ability to clear junk from lysosomes. When lysosomal function breaks down, waste accumulates in the neuron creating an increasingly toxic environment that leads to cell death. The most compelling alternative theory for Alzheimer's disease is that it is a lysosomal storage disorder. A patent exists for drugs designed to enhance lysosomal function in the context of neurodegeneration.