Changes in the Blood Could Hold Key for Better Alzheimer ’s Detection

Researchers at the University of Turku have discovered new changes in blood samples associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A new study was conducted on disease-discordant Finnish twin pairs: one sibling suffering from Alzheimer's disease and the other being cognitively healthy. The researchers used the latest genome-wide methods to examine the twins' blood samples for any disease-related differences in epigenetic marks which are sensitive to changes in environmental factors. These differences between the siblings were discovered in multiple different genomic regions. Development of the late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease is affected by both genetic and environmental factors including lifestyle. Different environmental factors can alter the function of the genes associated with the disease by modifying their epigenetic regulation, e.g. by influencing the bond formation of methyl groups in the DNA's regulatory regions which control the function of the genes. By measuring methylation levels in the DNA isolated from the Finnish twins' blood samples, the researchers discovered epigenetic marks that were associated with Alzheimer's disease in multiple different genomic regions. One of the marks appeared stronger also in the brain samples of the patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The link between this mark and Alzheimer's disease was confirmed in the Swedish twin cohorts. The researchers observed that the strength of the mark was influenced not only by t...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: R & D Source Type: news