Researchers have been looking for ways to test for early signs of cognitive impairment and dementia. Early detection could open the door to strategies that prevent disease progression.
Looking for biomarkers
One of the areas that can help with early detection is by looking for biomarkers of cognitive decline. Potential biomarkers include:
- Changes in the size and function of the brain and its parts
- Levels of certain proteins seen on brain scans, in cerebrospinal fluid, and in blood.
People living with Alzheimer’s, for example, have abnormally high levels of plaques made up of beta-amyloid and tangles made of tau proteins.
To look for earlier biomarkers of cognitive decline, a team led by Dr. Berislav V. Zlokovic at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, examined two markers involved in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier.
What is a blood-brain barrier?
Th blood-brain barrier controls the movement of cells and molecules between the blood and the fluid that surrounds the brain’s nerve cells. Past studies have found that abnormalities in the small blood vessels (capillaries) of the brain often contribute to dementia.
Findings
The researchers found that, compared with people without cognitive impairment, people with cognitive impairment had higher levels of soluble PDGFRβ and a greater breakdown in the blood-brain barrier of certain brain regions.
PDGFRβ is a soluble protein called platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta. It is found in the capillaries that maintain the blood-brain barrier’s integrity. Its levels rise in cerebrospinal fluid when the blood-brain barrier is compromised.
The findings suggest these measurements could pave the way for an early diagnostic test for cognitive impairment from Alzheimer’s as well as other causes.
Find out whether you or your loved one is/are eligible for the trial: https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/blood-brain-barrier-test-may-predict-dementia
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