A lab study found that a humanin‑based peptide called Colivelin, when directly injected into the rat brain, stopped the memory‑damaging effects of an Alzheimer‑linked protein, kept brain cells’ communication strong, and prevented harmful calcium buildup. This shows the peptide can protect brain function in animals, but the method isn’t ready for people yet.

Amyloid β peptide (Aβ) has been thought to be neurotoxic and responsible for the impairment of learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Humanin (HN), a 24 amino acid polypeptide first identified from the unaffected occipital lobe of an AD patient, is believed to be neuroprotective against the AD-related neurotoxicity. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of Colivelin (CLN), a novel HN derivative, against Aβ by using behavioral test, in vivo electrophysiological recording, and intracellular calcium imaging. Our results showed that intrahippocampal injection of CLN (0.2 nmol) effectively prevented Aβ25-35 (4 nmol)-induced deficits in spatial learning and memory of rats in Morris water maze test; the suppression of in vivo hippocampal long term potentiation (LTP) by Aβ25-35 was nearly completely prevented by CLN; in addition, CLN pretreatment also effectively inhibited Aβ25-35-induced calcium overload in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. These results indicate that CLN has significant neuroprotective properties against Aβ, and CLN may holds great promise for the treatment and prevention of AD.