A team of researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) has identified a new biomarker for vascular dementia, a subtype of dementia affecting the elderly.
Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the study offers hope for early identification of those at risk and potentially for the development of targeted therapies.
The Biomarker: CCR5 Receptor
The study focuses on CCR5, a receptor protein connected to chemokines—chemical messengers of the immune system.
The researchers discovered that CCR5 plays a vital role in brain cells’ response to oxidative stress, a mechanism contributing to neuron death.
Additionally, they found a link between a specific genetic variant of CCR5 and apolipoprotein E (ApoE), known for its role in age-related dementia.
Increased Risk of Vascular Dementia
This combination of genetic variants considerably heightens the risk of developing vascular dementia.
“People over the age of 80 who carry this specific genotype are eleven times more likely to develop vascular dementia,” says Benjamin Tournier, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors.
Methodology and Validation
The team initially identified the potential role of CCR5 in ischemic mechanisms through “in vitro” experiments on mouse neurons.
They then studied variations in the CCR5 and ApoE genes in 362 people (205 without dementia and 189 with dementia), with blood samples collected annually for five years.
These results were later validated on another cohort in Italy, fortifying the robustness of the findings.
Implications and Future Directions
According to Prof. Dina Zekry, the study is a significant advance in understanding and treating age-related dementia. “It opens doors for early identification of individuals at risk and for the development of targeted therapies,” she said.
Currently, vascular dementia has no cure, and prevention strategies mainly revolve around managing risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking.
The discovery of the CCR5 biomarker could revolutionize these preventive measures and lead to the development of new treatment strategies aimed at improving patients’ quality of life.
Conclusion
The identification of CCR5 as a biomarker for vascular dementia is a major step forward, providing new avenues for early diagnosis and targeted treatment.
While more work is needed to translate these findings into clinical practice, this breakthrough offers hope for better management and potentially even the prevention of this debilitating disease.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find link between body inflammation and dementia risk and findings of Common diabetes drug may help prevent dementia.
For more information about Alzheimer’s, please read studies about Vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, and Oral cannabis extract may help reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms.
The research findings can be found in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
