Almost 115 years have passed since the discovery of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by the German psychiatric and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and it may contribute to 60–70% of cases. More than 47 million people in the world are affected by dementia, and as of 2018, the cost of these diseases was expected to surpass $1 trillion annually. Alzheimer’s is described the disease as a chronic multifaceted and complex neurodegenerative illness characterized by memory impairment and loss of executive abilities which is a plight for the elderly. AD is a prime example of how our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases has evolved over time and illustrates the important role postmortem evaluation of the brain plays in elucidating disease mechanisms. Pathologically AD is characterized by: first, intracellular aggregation of abnormally phosphorylated Tau protein (tubulin-associated) to form neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Second, extracellular amyloid-beta (Aβ), isolated in 1984 by George Glenner, a pathologist at the University of California, San Diego, led to the formation of senile plaques. Third, inflammation in the brain, fourth, neural disconnection and deaths, and synaptic dysfunction With the passage of successive decades, the plethora of hypothesis spanning from cholinergic theory to the dominant Aβ cascade hypothesis to the abnormally excessive phosphorylated Tau protein were reported to clarify the underpinning pathogenesis of AD.
Author(s) Details:
Abdalla Bowirrat
Department of Molecular Biology, Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.
Aia Bowirrat M. D.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikwa, Israel.
Recent Global Research Developments in Early Symptoms and Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s
Novel Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis:
Researchers at the University of Melbourne have identified a novel biomarker by analyzing potassium isotopes in blood serum. This method shows promise for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) before cognitive decline becomes apparent [1] .
Blood-Based Biomarkers:
A study published in Metallomics highlights the use of inorganic analytical geochemistry techniques to detect early biomarkers of AD in blood. This approach could lead to a minimally invasive and scalable diagnostic test [1] .
Cosmochemistry Techniques:
Researchers have applied cosmochemistry techniques to identify lower potassium isotope ratios in Alzheimer’s patients, suggesting δ41K as a viable biomarker for early detection [2] .
Early Detection through Blood Analysis:
A recent study found that analyzing specific biomarkers in blood can help diagnose AD earlier, potentially reducing the effects of dementia [3] .
Rethinking Alzheimer’s Treatments:
An article in Nature discusses the need for a major rethink in how Alzheimer’s treatments are evaluated, emphasizing the importance of early-stage diagnosis and treatment to slow disease progression [4] .
References
- Novel biomarker could lead to early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, pilot study suggests
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-biomarker-early-diagnosis-alzheimer-disease.html#google_vignette - Cosmochemistry techniques shed light on potential new Alzheimer’s disease biomarker
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240909/Cosmochemistry-techniques-shed-light-on-potential-new-Alzheimers-disease-biomarker.aspx - Potential biomarker for early Alzheimer’s diagnosis identified
https://www.techexplorist.com/potential-biomarker-early-alzheimers-diagnosis-identified/89200/#google_vignette - Researchers call for a major rethink of how Alzheimer’s treatments are evaluated
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00756-8
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