“Biomarkers” are substances in the body that can tell us about a disease. They can show if a disease is present, how severe it is, or how it might progress in the future.
Scientists use them to help diagnose and manage diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). But biomarkers can vary among different people, due to factors like race, lifestyle, and risk factors.
In China, there haven’t been many large, systematic studies looking at Alzheimer’s biomarkers in the Chinese Han population.
This population makes up the majority of people in China. Scientists believe it is important to study them separately, because they might have unique biomarkers for Alzheimer’s.
The Multicenter Study on Alzheimer’s Biomarkers
To fill this gap, a group of researchers conducted a large study across multiple clinical centers in China. They collected and analyzed blood samples from 817 individuals.
The blood samples were used to measure levels of several substances: amyloid beta (Aβ)-40, Aβ42, phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau), total tau (tTau), serum neurofilament light (NFL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
The researchers also performed scans on the individuals to get a better look at their brains. They published their findings in the journal Science Bulletin.
Key Findings from the Study
The researchers found that combining the results of certain tests could help them predict Alzheimer’s.
Specifically, a combination of the APOE genotype (a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s), plasma pTau, and serum GFAP levels was especially useful for predicting the presence of Aβ, a protein that forms harmful tangles in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Interestingly, the researchers found that higher GFAP levels were linked to faster brain decline over time and greater brain shrinkage.
This suggests that GFAP could be a good biomarker for predicting how quickly Alzheimer’s might progress in a patient.
The Implications of the Study
The results of this study validate the use of blood biomarkers for diagnosing and managing Alzheimer’s in the Chinese Han population.
Importantly, the study highlights the potential of pTau and GFAP as non-invasive ways to detect and monitor Alzheimer’s at an early stage.
This is crucial because early detection of Alzheimer’s can lead to better management of the disease. With these findings, scientists and doctors are one step closer to improving the care for Alzheimer’s patients in China.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, and higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The study was published in Science Bulletin.
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
