MSGID: 1:317/3 63d4a4eb   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    New test could detect Alzheimer's disease 3.5 years before clinical   
   diagnosis    
      
     Date:   
         January 27, 2023   
     Source:   
         King's College London   
     Summary:   
         New research has established a blood-based test that could be used   
         to predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease up to 3.5 years before   
         clinical diagnosis.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience   
   (IoPPN) at King's College London has established a blood-based test that   
   could be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease up to 3.5 years   
   before clinical diagnosis.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   The study, published in the journal Brain, supports the idea that   
   components in the human blood can modulate the formation of new brain   
   cells, a process termed neurogenesis. Neurogenesis occurs in an important   
   part of the brain called the hippocampus that 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 neurogenesis in its later stages   
   through autopsies.   
      
   To understand the early changes, researchers collected blood samples over   
   several years from 56 individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI),   
   a condition where someone will begin to experience a worsening of their   
   memory or cognitive ability. While not everyone experiencing MCI goes   
   on to develop Alzheimer's disease, those with the condition progress   
   to a diagnosis at a much higher rate than the wider population. Of   
   the 56 participants in the study, 36 went on to receive a diagnosis of   
   Alzheimer's disease.   
      
   Dr Aleksandra Maruszak, one of the study's joint first authors from King's   
   IoPPN explains, "In our study, we treated brain cells with blood taken   
   from people with MCI, exploring how those cells changed in response to   
   blood as Alzheimer's disease progressed."  In studying how blood affected   
   the brain cells, the researchers made several key discoveries. The blood   
   samples collected from participants over the years who subsequently   
   deterioratedand developed Alzheimer's disease promoted a decrease in   
   cell growth and division and an increase in apoptotic cell death (the   
   process by which cells are programmed to die). However, the researchers   
   noted that these samples also increased the conversion of immature brain   
   cells to hippocampal neurons.   
      
   While the underlying reasons for the increased neurogenesis remain   
   unclear, the researchers theorise that it may be an early compensating   
   mechanism for the neurodegeneration (loss of brain cells) experienced   
   by those developing Alzheimer's disease.   
      
   Professor Sandrine Thuret, the study's lead author 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   
   hippocampal neurogenesis.   
      
   This gave us the idea of modelling the process of neurogenesis in a dish   
   using human brain cells and human blood. 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 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."  When the researchers used only   
   the blood samples collected furthest away from when the participants   
   were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, they found that the changes in   
   neurogenesis occurred 3.5 years prior to a clinical diagnosis.   
      
   Dr Edina Silajdži?, the study's joint first author added, "Our   
   findings are extremely important, potentially allowing us to predict onset   
   of Alzheimer's early in a non-invasive fashion. This could complement   
   other blood- based biomarkers that reflect the classical signs of the   
   disease, such as the accumulation of amyloid and tau (the 'flagship'   
   proteins of Alzheimer's disease)."  Dr Hyunah Lee, the study's joint   
   first author said, "It is now essential to validate these findings in   
   a bigger and more diverse group of people. We are excited about the   
   potential applications of the blood-based test we used. For example, it   
   can help stratify individuals with memory problems for a clinical trial of   
   disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer's."  The researchers say that these   
   findings could present an opportunity to further understand the changes   
   the brain goes through at the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease.   
      
   This study was possible thanks to funding from the John and Lucille van   
   Geest Foundation, the Medical Research Council UK, the Cohen Charitable   
   Trust, the Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation and the Rhodes Trust.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Alzheimer's_Research # Healthy_Aging # Brain_Tumor #   
                   Diseases_and_Conditions   
             o Mind_&_Brain   
                   # Alzheimer's # Dementia # Disorders_and_Syndromes #   
                   Caregiving   
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   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by King's_College_London. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Aleksandra Maruszak, Edina Silajdžić, Hyunah Lee,   
      Tytus Murphy,   
         Benjamine Liu, Liu Shi, Chiara de Lucia, Abdel Douiri, Evgenia   
         Salta, Alejo J Nevado, Charlotte E Teunissen, Pieter J Visser,   
         Jack Price, Henrik Zetterberg, Simon Lovestone, Sandrine   
         Thuret. Predicting progression to Alzheimer's disease with human   
         hippocampal progenitors exposed to serum. Brain, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1093/brain/awac472   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230127131207.htm   
      
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