Many people think Alzheimer’s disease begins and ends in the brain.
However, scientists are discovering that changes in other parts of the body may also influence how the disease develops.
A new study from Houston Methodist suggests that obesity may affect the brain through harmful fat molecules that travel from body tissues into the brain. The findings were published in Molecular Neurodegeneration.
The research was led by Dr. Stephen Wong and Dr. Li Yang. The team wanted to understand why obesity has been linked with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease in many earlier studies.
Rather than looking only at weight itself, they investigated the chemical signals produced by body fat.
The researchers focused on molecules called phosphatidylethanolamines, or PEs. These are natural fats found in the membranes surrounding cells throughout the body.
In people with obesity, the amount of these fat molecules can increase, allowing more of them to be packaged into tiny particles that travel through the bloodstream.
According to the study, these particles may eventually reach the brain. Once there, they appear to disturb communication between brain cells, weaken the brain’s immune defenses, and encourage the buildup of amyloid proteins, one of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. These changes may increase damage linked to memory loss and thinking problems.
The scientists also tested whether restoring a healthier balance of these fat molecules could help. They found that correcting the imbalance improved brain function and thinking ability in Alzheimer’s disease models. The results suggest that targeting these fat molecules or blocking the pathway that carries them into the brain could become a new treatment strategy.
Obesity is already known to increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. This study suggests it may also affect brain health in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. As obesity becomes more common worldwide, understanding these biological links has become increasingly important.
The researchers stressed that the findings do not mean everyone with obesity will develop Alzheimer’s disease. Many factors, including age, genetics, physical activity, blood pressure, and overall health, influence a person’s risk. More studies will be needed before any new treatment can be tested in people.
If you care about brain health, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
Source: Houston Methodist.
