A Blood Test in Women for the Risk of Alzheimer’s?
Thu, November 12, 2009 at 03:00AM A doctoral thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, indicates that the blood of middle aged women may show an increase in an aminoacid that’s linked with an increased risk of later development of Alzheimer’s. This is according to a release provided by the unversity and reported in ScienceDaily.
The data analyzed come from the prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg that started at the end of the 60s. Women between 38 and 60 were enrolled, examined, and had blood samples taken. Subsequent follow-up showed which women went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, decades later.
Analyses of the baseline blood showed that Alzheimer’s was more common in women with the highest levels of homocysteine than in those with the lowest levels – more than twice as common, in fact. And the risk for any kind of dementia was 70% higher.
Homocysteine blood levels are related to lower intakes of vitamins B12 and folic acid, and are known to be associated with an increased risk of stroke, degenerative blood vessel disease (atherosclerosis), or thrombosis. Homocysteine blood levels may drop with plenty of folate (folic acid) and B vitamins in the diet through foods such as green leafy vegetables and fortified grain products or through supplements.
Before we get too excited by this finding, we should note that previous studies have failed to link high homocysteine levels with dementia, but the longest follow-up for these was 8 years. Moreover, it’s not certain whether it’s homocysteine itself that damages brain tissue or there’s another, underlying factor that increases homocysteine and causes dementia. Quite clearly, many further studies are needed, including prospective ones, including analysis of measures to lower homocysteine for many years. In the meantime, eat your whole grains, green leafy veggies, and fortified cereals; this will help prevent other conditions than dementia.
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