A team from the National Institute of Health (Inserm) has just taken another step in research into the development of Alzheimer’s disease. For several years, these researchers have been interested in the tau protein, present in the brain.
This protein was initially considered as a simple support molecule for neurons. First, they discovered that it penetrated the nucleus of neurons and protected the DNA of cells. Continuing their studies, the scientists found that the tau protein could also leave neurons naturally, thanks to microparticles called ectosomes, thus spreading the disease.
Continuing their studies of brain degeneration, researchers discovered that the initial amount of accumulated tau protein was associated with the evolution of cognitive impairment and brain atrophy two years after the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Their work has just been published in the Journal of Neurology.
Other work needed
As Inserm explains, the research teams followed 36 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The latter benefited from a detailed clinical assessment exploring the cognitive functions and an initial neuroimaging assessment carried out by MRI, to measure cerebral atrophy (a frequent consequence of Alzheimer’s disease) and by PET scan, a specific technique of cerebral imaging which makes it possible to detect in vivo the accumulation of abnormal proteins (tau and amyloid) as well as their distribution in the brain.
The patients were then followed for 2 years with annual clinical check-ups and a second MRI at the end of the follow-up. And the results indicate that the intensity of tau protein deposits that can be observed through imaging predicts the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
This study demonstrates the interest imaging by tomography (PET), which to anticipate the potential evolution of cognitive disorders, which will improve the care and support of patients with Alzheimer’s.
Sources :
- Tau-PET imaging predicts cognitive decline and brain atrophy progression in early Alzheimer’s disease, Journal of neurology, March 2022
- Predicting the speed of the evolution of Alzheimer’s disease for better patient care: research is advancingInserm, March 2022
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