Many researchers across the world have looked at the novel hypotheses to better understand the origins of Alzheimer’s.
The new research by the research team from the University of Kentucky has described a new, complex, and under-recognized form of dementia categorized by the toxic accumulation of 4 different proteins in the brain. The researchers suggest that many individuals with Alzheimer's may suffer from more complex and different, neurodegenerative conditions. The research on aging and brain health was recently published in the JAMA Neurology journal. However, researchers across the world are struggling in the fight against dementia.
The new form of dementia, often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's, further complicates the problem. According to estimates, the prevalence of Alzheimer's will almost double every 2 decades. Early detection of Alzheimer's makes it easier to plan for adequate care and initiate medical intervention as early as possible to reduce symptoms. The disease is defined by a harmful build-up of two types of protein in the brain; tau into neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-beta into plaques. Almost every treatment developed in the past few years has failed in human trials, to try and prevent, or reverse, the accumulation of these toxic proteins. Moreover, many researchers across the world have looked at the novel hypotheses to better understand the origins of Alzheimer’s.
During this research, the team enrolled around 375 individuals to examined brain autopsy. The researchers examined brain tissue collected from all participants (before their death) were followed for more than a decade. The team looked at the accumulation of amyloid-beta, TDP-43 and tau, and alpha-synuclein, a protein known to collect in toxic structures named Lewy bodies, which is the unreasonable cause of Parkinson’s disease. The team found that about 20% of individuals with dementia showed signs of accumulating all four kinds of toxic proteins. Individuals with such a condition showed more severe signs of dementia.