According to the World Health Organization’s 2017 report, it was estimated that around 44 million people are affected by Alzheimer's disease worldwide. According to Alzheimer's Association, it occurs as a result of the buildup of amyloid plaques and vascular abnormalities in the brain and is considered as one of the costliest diseases to treat.

In a research study led by Yuksel Agca, associate professor of veterinary pathology and a researcher in the Comparative Medicine Program in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, it was found that two proteins namely APP and PS1, were the key factors linked to Alzheimer’s disorder, by carrying out the research work in rat model. If the accumulation of amyloid-β could be manipulated, it could lead to a decrease in the onset of Alzheimer Disease.

The lead investigator Agca said, "We found that these rat models could be useful in the fight against Alzheimer's in people; because of their shorter lifespans and their larger size, translational models such as rats are extremely helpful in ongoing studies of disease. The results can be translatable to humans in identifying targets for drugs as well as identifying everyday lifestyle changes we can make to help stave off disorders like Alzheimer's. We hope this model will become beneficial as research continues to move forward.”