Researchers Find Protein Linked to Alzheimer's

There's big news in the area of Alzheimer's disease this week; a new study has discovered those suffering from the disease have higher concentrations of a blood plasma protein called clusterin.

The study was conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College in London; participants in the study either had Alzheimer's, were in the early stages of the disease, or did not have it at all. 

The research linked clusterin to severity of the disease, rapidity of its progression, and atrophy in the area of the brain associated with memory. They also discovered an association between clusterin and increased amyloid-beta, the protein that forms the plaque buildup that is prevalent in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The discovery prompts researchers to be enthusiastic about the possibility of a simple blood test which could detect clusterin in the brain; doing so could help ensure early intervention.

Other Alzheimer's news:


According to Swedish researchers, vitamin E may play a role in staving off Alzheimer's; they found that those who ate foods rich in the vitamin, such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil, were half as likely to get it (express.co.uk).

And as reported earlier by Food Consumer, researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School have determined an associative link between depression and dementia/Alzheimer's.  The lead author of the study emphasized the importance of treating depression, especially in older people.