A study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, led by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, argues that high blood levels of glycans, structures made up of sugar molecules, could be linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers looked at data from 233 participants in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K). The samples were collected between 2001 and 2004 and the volunteers were monitored regularly for a follow-up of about 17 years (SLEEP DISORDERS AMONG THE CAUSES).
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“Our work – observes Zhou – suggests that blood levels of glycans undergo significant alterations in the course of Alzheimer’s disease. The combination of a memory test and a blood test could therefore represent an effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive strategy to diagnose the condition promptly, which would greatly increase the effectiveness of treatments for patients.” The possibility of recognizing in advance people at greater risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases is very important. The research team has shown that the level of a certain glycan structure in the blood, called bisected N-acetylglucosamine, can be used to predict the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Glycans, the experts explain, are sugar molecules found on the surface of proteins.