Study identifies potential biomarker for Alzheimer's disease
The findings, which appear in the journal Alzheimer and Dementia , point to new biological pathways that may be implicated in AD and could serve as biomarkers for risk of the disease. AD is the most common form of dementia responsible for a slow and progressive deterioration of memory and leads to frailty and dependence in elderly people. Despite ongoing research effort and improved knowledge about the disease, there is currently no effective preventive or curative treatment for AD, which could result in a public health crisis given the continuous aging of populations worldwide. Using data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), observed an association specifically between levels of anthranillic acid measured in the plasma and a higher risk of developing dementia and AD after 10 years of follow-up. Although the researchers are cautious about their results, they identify several findings they find promising. "Fir...