Scientists have discovered a new blood test that could detect Alzheimer’s disease three and a half years before a clinical diagnosis.
The blood-based test that could predict the risk of the condition is the result of new research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.
The research supports the idea that components in human blood can influence the formation of new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis.
The process occurs in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory.
While Alzheimer’s affects the formation of new brain cells in the hippocampus during the early stages of the disease, previous research has been able to study neurogenesis only in its later stages through post-mortem examinations.
To understand the early changes, over a number of years researchers collected blood samples from 56 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition where someone will begin to experience a weakening of their memory or cognitive ability.
While not everyone with MCI will develop Alzheimer’s disease, those with the condition progress to a diagnosis at a much higher rate than the wider population.
Thirty-six of the 56 people in the study were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
When the researchers used only the blood samples collected furthest away from when someone had Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed, they found that the changes in neurogenesis occurred 3.5 years before a clinical diagnosis.
New drug appears to improve Alzheimer’s - in pictures
“Previous studies have shown that blood from young mice can have a rejuvenating effect on the cognition of older mice by improving hippocampal neurogenesis," said Prof Sandrine Thuret, the study’s lead author from the institute.
“This gave us the idea of modelling the process of neurogenesis in a dish using human brain cells and human blood.
“In our study, we aimed to use this model to understand the process of neurogenesis and to use changes in this process to predict Alzheimer’s disease, and found the first evidence in humans that the body’s circulatory system can have an effect on the brain’s ability to form new cells.”
The research showed blood samples collected from people who went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease promoted a decrease in cell growth and division.
They also promoted an increase in apoptotic cell death, the process by which cells are programmed to die, the study found.
While the reasons for the increased neurogenesis remain unclear, the researchers suggest it may be an early compensating mechanism for the loss of brain cells experienced by those developing Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our findings are extremely important, potentially allowing us to predict onset of Alzheimer’s early in a non-invasive fashion," said Dr Edina Silajdzic, the study’s joint first author.
“This could complement other blood-based biomarkers that reflect the classical signs of the disease, such as the accumulation of amyloid and tau [the ‘flagship’ proteins of Alzheimer’s disease].”
The findings were published in the journal Brain.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20Iron%20Claw
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sean%20Durkin%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zac%20Efron%2C%20Jeremy%20Allen%20White%2C%20Harris%20Dickinson%2C%20Maura%20Tierney%2C%20Holt%20McCallany%2C%20Lily%20James%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
