Researchers at Inserm and Université de Bordeaux developed mitoDREADD-Gs, a designer receptor targeting mitochondria to enhance energy production and reverse cognitive impairments in Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia mouse models. Activated mitochondrial G-protein signaling restored memory function, establishing a direct causal link between mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration. These findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, open avenues for novel treatments focusing on mitochondrial activity modulation in neurodegenerative diseases.