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Scientists aren’t absolutely sure what causes cell death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer's brain, but the plaques and tangles are prime suspects.

Does Memory Loss Always Mean Dementia?

Dementia is a broad category of symptoms that affect the brain and causes memory loss.

Early onset Alzheimer's

Although, Alzheimer’s is viewed as a disease of the elderly, up to 5% of Americans with Alzheimer’s have the early-onset variety, which can start to show symptoms as early as one’s 30s.

Showing posts with label Neurofibrillary tangles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neurofibrillary tangles. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Type 2 diabetes linked to neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients

neurofibrillary tangles

A new study has found that people with type 2 diabetes who do not have dementia may be more prone to developing neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients. Tangles are abnormal collection of insoluble twisted fibers of a type of protein called Tau.

The study published in the journal Neurology was based on data from the US Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Scientists examined the link between type 2 diabetes and the death of brain cells and loss of connections. They also looked at the beta-amyloid plaques (protein fragment snipped from an amyloid precursor protein - APP) and protein tangles in the spinal fluid of the volunteers. Beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906.

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The study involved 816 participants with an average age of 74. Of these participants, 397 individuals had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 228 had no memory of cognitive problems, 191 were Alzheimer’s patients and 124 were diabetics.

The participants underwent MRI scan for the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were taken from half of the participants to measure levels of beta-amyloid and tau – proteins that make up plaques and neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients.

neurofibrillary tangles


The study found that the brain’s cortex of the people with type 2 diabetes were more thinning. Cortex is the area with the highest concentration of nerve cells. They also found higher levels of the protein tau in the spinal fluid of the patients with type 2 diabetes which indicated more tangles in the brain.
This study has proof that people with type 2 diabetes are at twice the risk of developing dementia, explains Dr. Velandai Srikanth, study author and an assoc. prof. at Monash University in Melbourne.
Studies like this one sought to understand how conditions such as diabetes may affect death of brain cells directly or indirectly. Since brain’s nerve cells do not restore themselves, it is really crucial to find ways to decrease brain cell death, he adds.

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However, Dr. Srikanth said that the study showed only a connection between type 2 diabetes and neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients. He wasn’t sure if type 2 diabetes was the cause. He pointed to high blood sugar and obesity which are common among people with type 2 diabetes. Other researches had linked obesity to a greater accumulation of tangles.

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“Obesity could be part of the puzzle, too …. There is an interesting body of evidence" tying obesity to tau, he explained,” said Dr. Srikanth.

Dr. Srikanth said that since the study analyzed participants’ data at only point in time, cause-and-effect association between diabetes and neurofibrillary tangles found in brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients was not determined.