A study identified 15 novel biomarkers for diseases predisposing to
dementia

Date:
August 3, 2021
Source:
University of Helsinki
Summary:
A study provides new data on potential aetiological mechanisms that
are linked with dementia caused by diseases, such as Alzheimer's
and vascular dementia.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A study by an international research group identified 15 novel biomarkers
that are linked to late-onset dementias. These biomarkers are proteins,
which predict cognitive decline and subsequent increased risk of dementia already 20 years before the disease onset.


==========================================================================
The proteins are related to immune system dysfunction, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, vascular pathologies, and central insulin resistance. Six
of these proteins can be modified with currently available medications prescribed for conditions other than dementia.

"These findings provide novel avenues for further studies to examine
whether drugs targeting these proteins could prevent or delay the
development of dementia," says lead author Joni Lindbohm MD, PhD from
the University College London and University of Helsinki.

The results of the study have been published in the Alzheimer's &
Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

New Methods Enable Advances in Dementia Research Amyloid beta and tau
proteins have dominated pathophysiological research on dementia etiology,
but to date prevention and treatment trials targeting these biomarkers
have been unsuccessful. This has motivated researches to search also
other potential mechanisms that could predispose to dementia. Recent development of scalable platforms has made it possible to analyze a
wide range of circulating proteins, which may reveal novel biological
processes linked to dementias.

In this study the authors were able to analyze proteins with novel
large-scale protein panel from stored blood samples of the British
Whitehall II and US Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study
collected 20 years ago. Using a panel of 5,000 proteins measured from
plasma, the researchers identified proteins that predicted cognitive
decline in 5-yearly screenings and subsequent onset of clinical
dementia. The 15 proteins predicted dementia in both the British and
US cohorts.

Further Research Will Provide More Information to Find Drug Targets
"This new study is the first step in our 5-year Wellcome Trust funded
research programme. We will next examine whether the identified proteins
have a causal association with dementia, and whether they are likely
to be modifiable, and druggable," tells one of the authors, Professor
Mika Kivima"ki, Director of the Whitehall II study at University College London.

The ultimate aim of the research programme is to identify novel drug
targets for dementia prevention.

Dementia Rates and Related Cost Are Increasing The global number of
individuals living with dementia is approximately 45 million and the
number is projected to two or three times higher in 2050. In USA the
annual cost of care for those living with dementia have increased 35%
since 2015 and are nearly one billion annually. It is the fifth leading
cause of death globally and currently no cure for dementia causing
diseases exist.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Helsinki. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Joni V. Lindbohm, Nina Mars, Keenan A. Walker, Archana
Singh‐Manoux, Gill Livingston, Eric J. Brunner, Pyry
N. Sipila", Kalle Saksela, Jane E. Ferrie, Ruth C. Lovering,
Stephen A. Williams, Aroon D. Hingorani, Rebecca F. Gottesman,
Henrik Zetterberg, Mika Kivima"ki. Plasma proteins, cognitive
decline, and 20‐year risk of dementia in the Whitehall II
and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities studies. Alzheimer's &
Dementia, 2021; DOI: 10.1002/alz.12419 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210803084907.htm

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