Alzheimer’s disease is a major problem affecting many people worldwide. It’s a type of brain disease that causes memory loss and confusion.
In fact, it’s the most common reason why some older people have trouble remembering things. What’s challenging about Alzheimer’s is that changes in the brain start happening 10-20 years before we see any symptoms.
So, scientists are trying to find ways to detect these early changes, and that’s what the team at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden is focusing on.
The Importance of Astrocytes
In the research, the researchers found that cells called astrocytes might be important in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. These cells help keep the brain working properly.
When the brain gets injured or sick, astrocytes respond quickly and try to fix the problem. This process is called reactive astrogliosis.
The team was not quite sure what role astrocytes play in Alzheimer’s yet, but they know they’re one of the first cells to react.
In fact, recent studies show that reactive astrogliosis can happen before other known signs of Alzheimer’s, like the buildup of a protein called amyloid and the formation of something called tau tangles.
The Cholinergic Hypothesis and Astrocytes
About 40 years ago, scientists suggested that Alzheimer’s might be caused by problems with a type of signaling in the brain involving a chemical called acetylcholine. This is known as the cholinergic hypothesis.
This idea led to the development of drugs that stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is still the main treatment for Alzheimer’s today.
Current Study: Exploring Astrocytes and α7nAChRs
In this study, the team explored how astrocytes might be involved in Alzheimer’s. They specifically looked at a part of astrocytes called the α7-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs).
They think these α7nAChRs in astrocytes might be involved in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. They could be key to understanding how brain cells respond to damage and disease.
In particular, they think they might play a role in the buildup of amyloid, which is a key sign of Alzheimer’s.
A New Marker for Alzheimer’s?
Based on the research, the researchers suggest that astrocytic α7nAChRs might be a link between reactive astrogliosis, the cholinergic hypothesis, and the amyloid buildup in Alzheimer’s.
They also suggest that these α7nAChRs might be an early sign, or biomarker, of Alzheimer’s.
Using special brain scans called PET scans, they might be able to see changes in these α7nAChRs before any other signs of Alzheimer’s appear.
This could be a big step forward in diagnosing Alzheimer’s early and coming up with better treatments.
Next Steps in Our Research
The team is excited about what our study might mean for understanding and treating Alzheimer’s.
They are already working on testing our ideas with a new PET tracer, a substance that can show up on a PET scan.
This tracer, called KIn-83, can stick to α7nAChRs and help us see them in the brain. Researchers have already tested it in human brains after death, and they are getting ready to try it out in living people.
They hope the research will open up new ways to find Alzheimer’s early and come up with better treatments, not only for Alzheimer’s but also for other brain diseases where reactive astrogliosis is seen.
If you care about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about antioxidants that could help reduce the risk of dementia, and 5 steps to protect against Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that the herb rosemary could help fight COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease, and results showing this stuff in the mouth may help prevent Alzheimer’s.
The study was published in Nature Reviews Neurology.
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