Latest news with #Gumina
UPI
21 hours ago
- Health
- UPI
Blood test may predict rapid brain decline in Alzheimer's patients
A common blood test can flag early Alzheimer's disease patients who are four times more likely to experience rapid brain decline, a new study says. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News A common blood test can flag early Alzheimer's disease patients who are four times more likely to experience rapid brain decline, a new study says. The test -- the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index -- assesses a person's level of insulin resistance and can estimate their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. But the test also can help determine which people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's might experience a faster decline in brain function, researchers reported at the European Academy of Neurology's annual meeting. "Once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, families always ask how fast it will progress," lead investigator Dr. Bianca Gumina, a neurology resident at the University of Brescia's Brain Health Center in Italy, said in a news release. "Our data show that a simple metabolic marker available in every hospital laboratory can help identify more vulnerable subjects who may be suitable candidates for targeted therapy or specific intervention strategies," she added. Insulin resistance has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's, but its role in how quickly the disease progresses has received less attention, researchers said in background notes. For the study, researchers reviewed medical records for 315 non-diabetic patients in cognitive decline, including 200 with confirmed Alzheimer's disease. All underwent the TyG index blood test and were followed for three years. The third of Alzheimer's patients with the highest levels of insulin resistance had a quadrupled risk of faster cognitive decline, when compared to those with the least insulin resistance, results show. "We were surprised to see the effect only in the Alzheimer's spectrum and not in other neurodegenerative diseases," Gumina noted. "It suggests a disease-specific vulnerability to metabolic stress during the prodromal window, when interventions may still change the trajectory." Insulin resistance is believed to advance Alzheimer's by impeding blood sugar uptake to neurons, promoting accumulation of toxic beta amyloid proteins, disrupting the blood-brain barrier and fueling inflammation, researchers said. This study found that high TyG-assessed insulin resistance was indeed associated with disruption to the blood-brain barrier, researchers said. However, insulin resistance did not appear to interact with a person's genetic risk for Alzheimer's, indicating that these are separate risk factors that might operate independently. Researchers now are investigating whether TyG levels track with imaging scans of Alzheimer's, as combining the two could aid earlier detection. "If targeting metabolism can delay progression, we will have a readily modifiable target that works alongside emerging disease-modifying drugs," Gumina said. She presented her findings Monday at the EAN meeting in Helsinki. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The University of Washington has more on insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Health
- Extra.ie
Blood test can tell if you're at risk of severe Alzheimer's
A simple blood test can tell which patients will rapidly develop severe Alzheimer's, a new study has revealed. Identifying those with mild cognitive impairment who are most likely to suffer an accelerated decline could allow them to enter clinical trials and get extra support, researchers say. Neurologists tested 315 non-diabetic patients with cognitive deficits, including 200 with Alzheimer's disease, for resistance to insulin – a hormone that regulates blood-sugar levels. A simple blood test can tell which patients will rapidly develop severe Alzheimer's, a new study has revealed. Pic: Getty Images This was assessed using the triglyceride-glucose (TYG) index. Among those with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's, individuals with the highest TYG scores declined four times faster over the three-year follow-up period than those with lower TYG levels. Researchers suggest that insulin resistance, which has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's, may accelerate progression by impairing the uptake of glucose in the brain, promoting inflammation and disrupting the blood-brain barrier. It may also contribute to the build-up of amyloid, a toxic protein, in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. Identifying those with mild cognitive impairment who are most likely to suffer an accelerated decline could allow them to enter clinical trials and get extra support, researchers say. Pic: Shutterstock The scientists at the University of Brescia, Italy, also found that high TYG was associated with blood-brain barrier disruption and cardiovascular risk factors. However, they found no link between high TYG and other neurodegenerative diseases. Lead researcher Dr Bianca Gumina said: 'Once mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed, families always ask how fast it will progress. 'Our data shows that a simple metabolic marker available in every hospital laboratory can help identify more vulnerable subjects who may be suitable candidates for targeted therapy or specific intervention strategies.' Neurologists tested 315 non-diabetic patients with cognitive deficits, including 200 with Alzheimer's disease, for resistance to insulin – a hormone that regulates blood-sugar levels. Pic: Shutterstock While insulin resistance has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease, its role in how quickly the condition progresses has received less attention. This study aimed to fill that gap by focusing on its impact during the prodromal mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, when patients follow highly variable trajectories. Dr Gumina commented: 'We were surprised to see the effect only in the Alzheimer's spectrum and not in other neurodegenerative diseases. 'It suggests a disease-specific vulnerability to metabolic stress during the prodromal window, when interventions may still change the trajectory.' The researchers found that high TYG was also associated with blood-brain barrier disruption and cardiovascular risk factors. The researchers found that high TYG was associated with blood-brain barrier disruption and cardiovascular risk factors. Pic: Getty Images However, it showed no interaction with the APOE genotype, a genetic vulnerability that increases the carrier's risk of developing Alzheimer's. This indicates metabolic and genetic risks may act through distinct pathways, they said. Identifying high-TYG patients could refine enrolment for clinical trials and prompt earlier lifestyle or drug-based measures to improve insulin sensitivity. The researchers are currently investigating whether TYG levels also align with neuroimaging biomarkers to aid earlier detection. 'If targeting metabolism can delay progression, we will have a readily modifiable target that works alongside emerging disease-modifying drugs', concluded Dr Gumina. The study will be presented today at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, Finland. There are over 64,000 people in this country living with dementia, according to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and this number is projected to more than double to over 150,000 by 2045.
