Protein imbalances in middle-age adults have been linked to later-life dementia risk

Imbalances of certain proteins in the body during middle-age have been linked to increased risk of dementia, a study says. In the study published in Science Translational Medicine on 19th July 2023, scientists evaluated the relationship of almost 5000 plasma proteins with 25-year dementia risk in over 10,000 middle-aged adults.

The study was aimed at attempting to discover predictors of dementia several years before its manifestation. Thirty two (32) of the plasma proteins which were dysregulated in middle-aged adults were linked to increased risk of dementia much later in life, the study says. Twelve (12) of the 32 plasma proteins according to the study were associated with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.

Some of the 32 proteins were involved in protein homeostasis while others participated in immune functions.

The study also found that some of the key protein markers associated with dementia were abnormally expressed in brain tissues obtained from postmortem samples of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Although the mechanisms by which these proteins influence the development of dementia are not fully understood, the findings could aid the development of new diagnostic tools that could either prevent or facilitate treatments for most dementia causing diseases.