Obesity and diabetes may lead to Alzheimer’s by wearing down the LIVER, finds study
- An array of trials have already uncovered a worrying link between the issues
- But they suggested the conditions harmed vessels that carry blood to the brains
- Experts presented their findings at a major Alzheimer’s conference in Chicago
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Obesity and diabetes could lead to Alzheimer’s by slowly wearing down the liver, researchers fear.
An array of trials have already uncovered a worrying link between both medical issues and the memory-robbing disorder.
But they mostly suggested obesity and diabetes are harmful to vessels that carry blood to and from the brain, harming mental function.
Now, a new scientific trial sheds further light on the growing link between obesity and diabetes and Alzheimer’s – and claims the liver may be responsible.
For researchers have blamed reduced levels of crucial lipids created in the liver, which are considered integral to cell membranes in the brain.
An array of trials have already uncovered a worrying link between both medical issues and the memory-robbing disorder
Plasmalogens, created in the liver and dispersed through the blood in the form of cholesterol-transporting lipoproteins, gradually reduce with age.
But researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center warned obesity and diabetes can also cut the numbers of plasmalogens.
Dr Mitchel Kling, study author, warned the liver has to work harder in overweight people and diabetics to break down fatty acids over time.
He added: ‘This could lead to the eventual destruction of the peroxisomes that create plasmalogens which thus, increases the risk of Alzheimer’s.’
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The findings were unveiled at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago today, attended by thousands of delegates.
An estimated 850,000 people in the UK and five million in the US have dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form.
Dr Kling and colleagues measured the amount of several plasmalogens in around 1,650 participants, of which the majority had Alzheimer’s.
The team found lower levels of plasmalogens were linked to higher odds of the volunteers having Alzheimer’s disease.
A similar pattern was seen among participants with mild cognitive impairment, the stage between normal cognitive decline and dementia.
In a further analysis of the data, they also found patients with lower plasmalogen levels had greater amounts of tau in their brain.
The accumulation of tau proteins in the brain has for years been considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
Dr Kling added: ‘Our findings provide renewed hope for the creation of new treatment and prevention approaches for Alzheimer’s disease.
‘Moving forward, we’re examining the connections between plasmalogens, other lipids, and cognition, in addition to gene expression in the liver and the brain.
‘While we’re in the early stages of discovering how the liver, lipids, and diet are related to Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration, it’s been promising.’
WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, in which build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die.
This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages, and causes the brain to shrink.
More than 5 million people suffer from the disease in the US, where it is the 6th leading cause of death.
WHAT HAPPENS?
As brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost.
That includes memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason.
The progress of the disease is slow and gradual.
On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some may live for ten to 15 years.
EARLY SYMPTOMS:
- Loss of short-term memory
- Disorientation
- Behavioral changes
- Mood swings
- Difficulties dealing with money or making a phone call
LATER SYMPTOMS:
- Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places
- Becoming anxious and frustrated over inability to make sense of the world, leading to aggressive behavior
- Eventually lose ability to walk
- May have problems eating
- The majority will eventually need 24-hour care
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
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