Early and sustained Intervention with YKB Modulates the Cerebro-Retinal-Synaptic Network to Ameliorate Memory...

This study investigates whether early and sustained intervention with the Chinese herbal formula Yi Kang Bu Yuan (YKB) can modulate integrated networks to counteract Alzheimer 's disease (AD) progression. In APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic mice, chronic YKB administration prevented both short- and long-term memory decline. This cognitive protection was supported by a coordinated rescue of pathology across the brain-retina axis: YKB restored vascular structural remodeling, as evidenced by increased cerebrovascular collagen IV and retinal CD31⁺ endothelia density. These vascular improvements occurred in parallel with short-term memory gain. Concurrently, YKB upregulated hippocampal PSD-95, which correlated with long-term fear memory rescue, and suppressed hippocampal GFAP⁺ astrogliosis. These results define a novel, multi-target therapeutic axis for YKB in early AD, demonstrating that coordinated modulation of the neurovascular unit and synaptic circuits can effectively ameliorate multifactorial deficits.