When it comes to diseases like Alzheimer’s, prevention is key. Even if there is still no cure for this terrible disease, have the opportunity to diagnose it as early as possible would greatly improve the quality of life of patients. From a recent study by the University of Karolinska, in Sweden, very important news has arrived in this sense: thanks to a sugar molecule present in the blood, the onset of Alzheimer’s could be predicted 10 years in advance.
I study
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The researchers’ work has shown a link between the amount of glycans – of the sugar molecules found in the blood – and of yes, a protein that plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s. In fact, this protein when it doesn’t work well it hinders communication between nerve cellscausing her to die: exactly what happens in Alzheimer’s disease.
Why is it important for prevention
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“In analyzing the relationship between glycans and tau, we were surprised that by working on this link the onset of Alzheimer’s can be predicted for up to a decade before the diagnosis” explains the doctor Robin Zhou, lead author of the study. According to the study, in people whose tau/glycan ratio is too high or too low, and there is therefore an excessive imbalance, the risks of developing Alzheimer’s double. In summary, i levels of these sugars present in the blood can be used to predict the symptoms of Alzheimer’s well in advance. This represents a very important step forward also at an economic level, as it would make preventive screenings much less expensive.