Molecule in blood is linked to cognitive decline in old age: Research

ISLAMABAD, July 27 (online): A new study has found a molecule that could serve as a biomarker to identify those at greater risk of developing dementia in later life. It could also help scientists develop preventive treatments.

Dementia is a debilitating condition that involves the progressive decline of memory, communication, and thinking.

Globally, the number of people with this condition has more than doubled, rising from 20.2 million in 1990 to 43.8 million in 2016.

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 60-70% of all cases. As populations age, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is expected to continue rising.

Currently, once symptoms occur, they cannot be reversed. With this in mind, researchers are exploring ways to diagnose the condition years or even decades before it develops, and find drugs to prevent its progress.

One promising biomarker of Alzheimer’s is a molecule that circulates in the blood, known as asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA).

Low levels of nitric oxide are linked to the development of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s. A few small studies have also found a link between high concentrations of ADMA and cognitive declinein older people.

However, none of these studies have adjusted for the effect of low intelligence in childhood, which accounts for up to 50% of cognitive decline in old age.

Now, researchers have found a breakthrough.

They analyzed data from 63-year-olds, who had all taken the same mental ability test at Scottish schools in 1947 when they were 11 years of age.

Two decades ago, the 1936 Aberdeen Birth Cohort was established by medical researchers to follow this unique set of people.