Scientists have developed a nasal spray that can dramatically reduce brain inflammation and restore memory in just two doses, with effects lasting months, according to a new study. The research, published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, suggests that the inflammation behind brain ageing and brain fog can be reversed using this simple spray.
The spray contains microscopic biological parcels called extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry powerful genetic cargo known as microRNAs. These microRNAs act as master regulators, modulating multiple gene and signalling pathways in the brain. Intranasal delivery allows the treatment to bypass the brain's protective shield and travel directly into brain tissue.
Once in the brain, the microRNAs suppress protein systems like NLRP3 and cGAS–STING, which drive chronic inflammation in ageing brains. The treatment also recharges mitochondria inside neurons, reducing oxidative stress and restoring cellular energy. Mice treated with the spray showed improvements in recognising familiar objects and detecting new ones.
Lead author Dr Ashok Shetty from Texas A&M University said: 'As we develop and scale this therapy, a simple, two-dose nasal spray could one day replace invasive, risky procedures or maybe even months of medication.' The researchers have filed a US patent and hope the spray could become a breakthrough for brain ageing treatments, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke recovery.
