WASHINGTON - If the brain is gradually starved of glucose as one ages, then it is likely to trigger a biochemical process resulting in forms of Alzheimer’s disease.
A new study has found that when cardiovascular disease restricts blood flow in arteries to the brain, a process is launched that ultimately produces the sticky clumps of protein that appear to cause Alzheimer’s.
Robert Vassar, a professor of cell and molecular biology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School, who co-authored the study, discovered a key brain protein is altered when the brain has a deficient supply of energy.
The altered protein, called elF2alpha, increases the production of an enzyme that, in turn, flips a switch to produce the sticky protein clumps. Vassar worked with human and mice brains in his research.
‘This finding is significant because it suggests that improving blood flow to the brain might be an effective therapeutic approach to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s,’ said Vassar.
A simple preventive strategy people can follow to improve blood flow to the brain is getting exercise, reducing cholesterol and managing hypertension.
‘If people start early enough, maybe they can dodge the bullet,’ Vassar said. For people who already have symptoms, vasodilators, which increase blood flow, may help the delivery of oxygen and glucose to the brain, he added.
Vassar said it also is possible that drugs could be designed to block the elF2alpha protein that begins the formation of the protein clumps, known as amyloid plaques, said a Northwestern release. The study was published in Friday’s issue of Neuron.
An estimated 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s in their lifetime, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk rises with age.
Filed under News
Related?
Blood Glucose Monitor For PetsMarch 3rd, 2006 Dogs get diabetes too. That's why Abbott Laboratories announced the launch of the AlphaTRAK, billing it as the first complete hand-held blood glucose monitoring system for dogs and cats.
Energy drinks stoke brain to boost athletic performancesApril 16th, 2009 NEW YORK - Sugary drinks and sweets can really boost athletic performance in endurance events, but how?
Ed Chambers and colleagues not only show that sugary drinks can significantly boost performance in an endurance event without ingestion, but so can a tasteless carbohydrate in unexpected ways. 'Much of the benefit from carbohydrate in sports drinks is provided by signalling directly from mouth to brain rather than providing energy for the working muscles,' explained Chambers.
Even rinsing mouth with energy drinks can boost athletes' performanceApril 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Energy drinks are known to boost athletes' performances. Now, a new study has shown that the drinks' benefits are felt even if the drink is spat out rather than swallowed.
Control blood sugar levels could avoid memory loss due to agingDecember 31st, 2008 In a recent development the scientists have exposed the mechanism that contributes to normal age-related cognitive decline. Better part of the mechanism suggest that as cognitive decline with aging is amenable through exercises.
Special brain cells trigger urge to sleepJanuary 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Brain cells called astrocytes trigger the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study based on mice. The study could lead to better drugs for inducing sleep when it is needed, and for staving off sleep when it is dangerous.
Salmonella's sweet tooth may pave way for a vaccine against itMay 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - British scientists have, for the first time, discovered that the food oisoning bug Salmonella has an affiliation for glucose-a vulnerability that could actually provide new way to vaccinate against it. They say that the discovery of Salmonella's sweet tooth may also lead to vaccine strains to rotect against other disease-causing bacteria, including superbugs.
How sugar 'feeds' cancerAugust 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Gaining fresh insights into the notion that sugar "feeds" cancer, researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah may have moved a step closer to realising potential treatments to stop tumour growth. "It's been known since 1923 that tumour cells use a lot more glucose than normal cells.
Researchers track how alcohol alters brain cellsJune 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Alcohol's intoxicating effects are universally known, but its impact on brain activity remains shrouded in mystery. Now researchers have edged closer to unravelling how alcohol alters the way brain cells work.
