A new test can detect Alzheimer’s disease 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis

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Summary: A newly developed blood-based test detects changes in neurogenesis in the hippocampus up to 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: King’s College London

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London shows a blood-based test can be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease up to 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis.

The study, published in the journal Brain, supports the idea that components of human blood can modulate the formation of new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. Neurogenesis occurs in an important part of the brain called the hippocampus which is involved in learning and memory.

While Alzheimer’s disease affects the formation of new brain cells in the hippocampus during the early stages of the disease, previous studies have only been able to study the formation of neurons in its later stages through autopsy.

To understand the early changes, the researchers collected blood samples over several years from 56 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition in which someone begins to deteriorate their memory or cognitive ability.

Although not everyone with MCI will develop Alzheimer’s disease, those with the condition progress to diagnosis at a much higher rate than the broader population. Of the 56 study participants, 36 went on to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Aleksandra Marozak, one of the first study co-authors from King’s IoPPN, explains, “In our study, we treated brain cells with blood taken from people with MCI, and explored how these cells changed in response to blood as Alzheimer’s disease progressed.”

In studying how blood affects brain cells, researchers have made several key discoveries. Blood samples collected from participants over the years who later deteriorated and developed Alzheimer’s disease reported decreased cell growth and division and an increase in apoptosis (the process by which cells are programmed to die).

However, the researchers noted that these samples also increased the conversion of immature brain cells into neurons in the hippocampus.

While the reasons behind the increased neurogenesis remain unclear, researchers hypothesize that it may be an early compensation mechanism for the neurodegeneration (loss of brain cells) experienced by those who develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Sandrine Thoret, lead author of the study from King’s IoPPN, said, “Previous studies have shown that blood from young mice can have a rejuvenating effect on the cognition of older mice by improving neurogenesis in the hippocampus. This gave us the idea of ​​modeling the process of neurogenesis In a dish using human brain cells and human blood.

While Alzheimer’s disease affects the formation of new brain cells in the hippocampus during the early stages of the disease, previous studies have only been able to study the formation of neurons in its later stages through autopsy. The image is in the public domain

“In our study, we aimed to use this model to understand the process of neurogenesis and to use changes in this process to predict Alzheimer’s disease and we found the first evidence in humans that the body’s circulatory system can have an effect on the brain’s ability to form new cells.”

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When the researchers only used blood samples collected far from when the participants were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, they found that changes in neurogenesis occurred 3.5 years before the clinical diagnosis.

Dr. Edina Silajdzic, joint first author of the study, added, “Our findings are very important, and potentially allow us to non-invasively predict the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. This could complement other blood-based biomarkers that reflect classic markers of the disease, such as amyloid and tau buildup.” (“Major” proteins for Alzheimer’s disease.)

Dr Hyuna Lee, joint first author of the study, said, “It is now necessary to validate these findings in a larger and more diverse group of people. We are excited about the potential applications of the blood-based test we used. For example, it could help segment individuals with From memory problems to layers for a clinical trial of Alzheimer’s-modifying drugs.”

The researchers say these findings could offer an opportunity to further understand the changes the brain undergoes in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

About this search for Alzheimer’s disease news

Author: Press Office Source: King’s College London Contact: Press Office – King’s College London Image: Image is in the public domain

Original search: Results will appear in Brain

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