Researchers tested whether a drug that blocks BACE1 (an enzyme involved in Alzheimer’s disease) could protect nerve cell connections in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. They found that at high doses, the drug significantly improved the formation of new dendritic spines (connection points between neurons) and restored synaptic activity to near-normal levels. These findings suggest that using BACE1 inhibitors early in Alzheimer’s disease development, before widespread neuronal damage occurs, might help prevent cognitive decline.