Scientists from the Karolinska Institute have discovered a molecule from the sugar group, whose level in the blood can predict Alzheimer’s disease ten years before its onset. Research published magazine Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
In Alzheimer’s disease, neurons in the brain die, thought to be a result of abnormal accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. The authors had previously shown an association between tau levels and specific sugars, glycans, in people with Alzheimer’s disease, but these analyzes were performed on cerebrospinal fluid, which is difficult to use for routine screening of the disease.
In a new study, scientists showed that people with certain levels of glycans in their blood were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. This means that the level of this molecule in the blood can be used to assess the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and long before the first symptoms. The accuracy of the test is about 80%.
Results are based on data from 233 participants followed for 17 years.
Clinical trials of drugs for Alzheimer’s disease show that treatment should be started at an early stage of the pathological process. The discovery of scientists will make it possible to detect the initial stage of the disease in humans.