A new study suggests that memory loss, long considered one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease, may be preceded by a recognizable drop in glucose levels in the brain.

The study – published in the journal Translational Psychiatry – suggests that when a brain’s glucose levels drop, memory loss and cognitive decline is around the corner.

The study's authors believe they’ve also found a way to prevent the brain’s glucose levels from falling, according to the International Business Times.

According to the study, a protein – p38 – may have the ability to prevent a drop in glucose levels.

“The findings are very exciting,” said Dr. Domenico Pratico, lead researcher in the study and professor at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. “There is now a lot of evidence to suggest that p38 is involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.”

In the study, scientists tested the brains of mice, depriving them of glucose, and as a result, neural communication in the brains of the mice broke down.

“In recent years, advances in imaging techniques, especially positron emission tomography (PET), have allowed researchers to look for subtle changes in the brains of patients with different degrees of cognitive impairment,” said Pratico “One of the changes that has been consistently reported is a decrease in glucose availability in the hippocampus.”

The new study, released at the end of January, is the first to draw a connection between Alzheimer’s and glucose deprivation.

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