Several studies have linked breakdowns in the brain’s blood vessels to Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
The findings are presented at Neuroscience 2018, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Molecules that signal damage in these systems could aid in earlier detection of these diseases and inform more effective interventions.
Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia cause impairments of memory, cognition, and learning.
There are important genetic risk factors for these diseases.
But currently, there is also strong evidence to suggest that vascular disorders such as high blood pressure and heart disease could play a major role.
The research presented at the conference reveals how damage to the brain’s vascular system contributes to neurodegeneration and point towards potentially protective or therapeutic interventions, such as exercise.
The newest findings include:
Molecules called biomarkers, which signal brain vascular injury, could help identify dementia in its early stages and allow intervention and eventually treatment to improve patient outcomes.
Cardiovascular exercise seems to improve blood flow to white matter and protects against vascular impairment in a mouse model of dementia.
A molecule that is depleted in vascular dementia patients could be used for early detection or for treatment of patients with this cognitive decline.
Age-related loss of function in the brain’s lymphatic system plays a role in neuro-degeneration and improving it could help delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
The blood-brain barriers’ effectiveness is reduced in mice engineered with the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s, leading to neuronal loss and cognitive decline.
These findings are in line with previous research that shows heart health is strongly linked to dementia.
For example, one study found that atrial fibrillation patients who are diagnosed with carotid artery disease face higher risks for developing dementia.
Blockages in the carotid artery, which gradually build up as people age, restrict blood flow to the brain.
More than 200,000 new patients are diagnosed each year with carotid artery disease, which is caused by plaque building up in the artery that leads from the brain to the heart.
Atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia in the world, affects more than 2.7 million American adults.
The abnormal heart rhythm causes blood to pool and clot in the heart, and when those blood clots break free, they can cause a stroke.
A combination of these two heart diseases and the resulting impact on blood flow strongly increases a patient’s chances of developing dementia.
Researchers believe that these studies represent a growing understanding of two complex and related disorders.
Knowledge of the neurobiology and mechanisms involved open the door to being able to identify dementia early.
This offers hope of potential new treatments and interventions that could help patients and their families around the world.
How can study results help providers and patients reduce the onset of dementia? Researchers believe early awareness and recognition are key.
Copyright © 2018 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
Source: Society for Neuroscience.
