Figure 1: MicroRNAs indicating whether an individual will develop dementia or not can be discovered in the blood.
Source Credit: Today UK News (LINK)
Researchers at the DZNE (the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, or the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases)—an institution that specifically researches neurodegenerative diseases—and UMG (University Medical Center Göttingen) discovered that dementia can be detected earlier than what was once thought. Dementia is a general term referring to an impaired ability to recall information, think, and communicate. Some examples of dementia include Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, and Lewy Body Dementia.
André Fischer, the leading researcher in DZNE and professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the UMG, said through extensive studies, they were able to identify three microRNAs—microRNAs are short strands of RNA that act as their inhibitors and control the protein production in the body—whose levels correlated with cognitive abilities. In order to confirm their hypothesis, they analyzed data from the two groups: 132 young, healthy human volunteers with no cognitive impairment and 53 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
The result of their analysis indicated that healthy individuals with lower levels of the three microRNAs, also referred to as the blood markers, in the blood had higher mental fitness. However, when the scientists measured the level of the microRNAs in mice, they discovered that the number of proteins increased even before showing a mental decline. In addition, in MCI patients, the researchers noted that in those whose blood markers had increased, 90 percent of them developed Alzheimer’s disease within two years.
More specifically, the three particular microRNAs were directly connected to inflammatory processes and neuroplasticity, which is how well neurons can form connections.
“Indeed, we see in mice that learning ability improves when these microRNAs are blocked with drugs. We've observed this in mice with age-related mental deficits, as well as in mice with brain damage similar to that occurring in Alzheimer's disease,” Fischer said. “We, therefore, see an increased blood level of these three microRNAs as a harbinger of dementia. We estimate that in humans this biomarker indicates a development that is about two to five years in the future.”
But why is it important for dementia to be detected early on?
Usually by the time patients, especially the elderly, discover that they have dementia, their brains are too impaired to give a diagnosis and make an effective treatment. However, if the patients could start receiving treatments one or two years before their brains get damaged, the development of the disease could be slowed down or prevented.
However, researchers say that more investigation is needed to confirm this study. More experiments and real-life trials are needed to be certain of such correlation. In addition, even after this study is proven to be true, scientists would need to find an affordable and efficient way for hospitals to analyze the blood of their patients and determine their potential for developing dementia.
Q&A:
Sunmin: Before researchers found these biomarkers, what were some conventional ways doctors or scientists used to identify dementia patients?
Usually, doctors identified patients with dementia when they started showing symptoms of cognitive decline. By this stage, the disease has probably caused significant damage to the brain, making it more difficult to treat the patient. However, the biomarkers mentioned in this article may indicate that a patient will develop dementia even before significant damage happens to the brain, which is why this discovery is so significant.
Anna: How do the brains of the elderly get impaired? Does it wear out over time?
When an individual develops a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s Disease, the neurons in the brain get damaged and die. Many connections and networks between neurons also break, causing the brain to shrink. In the late stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, a significant volume of the brain is lost due to so much neuron loss.
Jennah: What are some methods health professionals use to slow down or prevent the development of dementia after its discovery?
Health professionals give several medications to slow down the development of dementia. Some of them include donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine, which boosts the level of chemical messengers involved in memory.
Xavier: It is mentioned in the article that mice showed improved learning ability from the treatment. Could the results of this research be applied to young, healthy people, or is it exclusive to those with diseases like dementia?
That is an area that still needs research. However, this research can be applied to anyone because, in the end, it is a measurement of the level of those biomarker microRNAs. So if we tested this on a healthy, young individual, the result would simply show that the person does not have a high level of the biomarkers in his or her blood, meaning the individual won’t be developing dementia soon.
Works Cited
“Dementia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 June 2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352019#:~:text=Medications,involved in memory and judgment.
Nall, Rachel. “Changes in the Brain: 10 Types of Dementia.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 22 June 2017, www.healthline.com/health/types-dementia.
Nield, David. “Early Warning Signs of Dementia Could Be Lurking in Our Blood.” ScienceAlert, www.sciencealert.com/blood-biomarkers-could-carry-early-signs-of-dementia-study-shows.
“Researchers Find Warning Signs for Dementia in the Blood.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 11 Oct. 2021, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211011091258.htm.
“What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer's Disease?” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-happens-brain-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=In Alzheimer's disease, as neurons,significant loss of brain volume.
“What Is Dementia?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Apr. 2019, www.cdc.gov/aging/dementia/index.html#:~:text=Dementia is not a specific,a part of normal aging.
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