In search of a safe and effective way to predict Alzheimer’s disease, researchers discovered sugar molecules in the blood of affected patients. By combining simple memory tests with genetic analysis, the researchers were able to predict the onset of disease up to 10 years in advance with considerable accuracy. This protocol will allow scientists to quickly collaborate with others to help detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms and take steps to stop its progression.
Almost every day, scientists seem to be getting closer to discovering new ways to predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. rice field. Algorithms that can analyze PET scans to discover signs of disease years ago. An analysis that found 75 genomic regions associated with disease. Testing of bodily fluids has also shown promise as a predictive method, but removal of cerebrospinal fluid is always a risky proposition, so researchers are turning to simpler blood tests to identify the disease. I’m trying to figure it out.
This is the case for scientists at the Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Sweden. Previously, researchers showed that sugar-based substances called glycans found in the cerebrospinal fluid may be related to the presence of tau protein in the body. Tau is one of the major markers of Alzheimer’s disease, so its early detection in the body could be a way to predict the onset of the condition. In fact, the team found that people with matching tau and glycan levels were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those without the markers.
In the new study, the team found that glycans, sugar-based molecules that coat proteins, are also present in the blood. Combining that information with genetic analysis and memory tests, they were able to predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease up to 10 years before his onset of amnesia with 80% accuracy.
“The role of glycans, structures made up of sugar molecules, is a relatively unexplored area in dementia research,” said Robin Zhou, lead author of the study, a medical student and a KI affiliated researcher. says. “Our study shows that blood levels of glycans change early in the onset of the disease, which means that blood tests and memory tests alone can predict Alzheimer’s disease risk.”
To generate the data, the research team looked at blood samples taken from 233 people who participated in a national survey on aging in Sweden between 2001 and 2004. Monitoring for signs of dementia and memory loss was performed every 3 to 6 years for a total of 17 years, which facilitated the establishment of an association between blood chemistry and memory loss. As a next step, the researchers will look at additional blood samples included in both the Swedish study and the aging study conducted abroad. increase.
“We are collaborating with Swedish primary care researchers to evaluate different biomarkers of dementia in primary health care centers,” said senior study author Schedin Weiss. “We hope that blood glycans will complement current Alzheimer’s disease screening methods to enable early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.”
A study was published in a journal Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Source: Karolinska Institutet
