Scientists may be one step closer finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease after identifying subtle signs in the brains of people who are at risk of developing the disease.
The disease, which causes memory loss, is believed to be linked to the accumulation of a certain type of protein in the brain, the Daily Mail reports.
Although most older brains contain some level of these proteins, significant accumulation can form plaques and tangled structures, which are thought to cause symptoms of dementia.
However, Canadian researchers have discovered an interesting change in the brain that may occur long before plaques become visible on scans and suggests that they are likely to develop.
A team from McGill University in Montreal found that people with reduced electrical activity in certain areas of the brain are more likely to develop the plaques that cause dementia. In the study, scientists analyzed two different brain scans of more than 100 volunteers, all with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease.
The first recording followed the position of proteins in the brain, while the second recorded brain activity in those regions.
They found that people with higher levels of one protein showed brain hyperactivity – higher frequencies of brain activity. In contrast, those with both types of plaques showed signs of hypoactivity – a slowing of brain activity.
Cognitive tests also showed that volunteers with higher levels of both proteins were more likely to experience memory loss and shorter attention spans. The scientists wrote in the journal Nature Neuroscience that their findings suggest that higher levels of these proteins may lead to changes in brain activity that can be noticed before symptoms appear.
Now they hope to scan the same participants again to see if the build-up of these proteins slows down further brain activity.
They also want to find out if it can accurately predict cognitive decline. Jonathan Gallego Rudolf, a neuroimaging expert and lead author of the study, said: “Our study provides direct evidence in humans for a putative shift in neurophysiological activity, from neural hyper to hypoactivity, and its association with long-term cognitive decline.”
Alzheimer’s disease affects about six out of ten people with dementia. Problems with memory, thinking and language are common early symptoms and worsen over time.
Recent research suggests that a diet rich in flavonoids, plant compounds found in tea, red wine, berries and dark chocolate, can significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.