New review sheds light on links between Alzheimer’s and metabolic syndrome

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, remains one of the biggest challenges of modern medicine. This progressive neurodegenerative disorder affects millions of people worldwide, with a number of 150 million in 2050 expected. Characterized by decreasing memory and cognitive function, AD has a devastating impact on patients and families, in addition to imposing a heavy burden on health care systems, without really effective treatments available.

Research In recent years, a growing number of evidence has yielded AD to Metabool Syndrome (METS), a cluster of simultaneously occurring conditions, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and abnormal blood fat mirrors or dyslipidemia. Although research has established some connections between AD and these individual circumstances, the precise relationship between AD and each component of Mets remains unclear, in particular with regard to the underlying biological mechanisms.

Against this background, researchers, led by professor Yanping Sun and Professor Lan Tan, have now published an extensive literature study in which these crucial connections are being investigated. Published online in Brain network disorders On December 13, 2024, their work focuses primarily on how disturbed fat metabolism could contribute to the development and progression of Alzheimer’s. “The brain is largely composed of lipids, which are crucial for maintaining the structure and function of neurons“Explains Professor Sun. Add further, she says,”By knowing the connections between Mets and AD, and the specific mechanisms with which dyslipidemia contributes to AD, it will be possible to identify new treatment goals and possibly develop therapeutic strategies in the future. “

The assessment reveals complex connections between diabetes and AD, which suggests that problems with regard to insulin regulation can contribute to the development of AD in unexpected ways. When the body becomes insulin resistant, the lake of the hormone produces to maintain normal blood sugar levels. However, surplus insulin can disrupt the brain’s ability to tidy ap-proteins, which may lead to the formation of harmful amyloid plaques-a characteristic of Ad. This connection is so important that some researchers have started referring to AD as “type 3 diabetes”.

High blood pressure, another important part of METS, seems to have its own clear impact on the health of the brain. Existing research suggests that Hypertension Midlife can considerably increase the risk of developing dementia later in life. Brain -visual research studies have also shown that high blood pressure can reduce the thickness of the cortex of the brain and possibly promote AD development, especially in persons who wear specific genetic risk factors, such as Apolipoprotein E4 (Apoe4).

The relationship between obesity and AD gives a complex picture, in which timing apparently plays a crucial role. The researchers indicated that overweight in the middle of the middle years, instead of later life, can be stronger to the development of various forms of dementia and cognitive decline. Brain scans of obese individuals have revealed changes that are comparable to those in AD, including reductions in the volume of gray matter.

Perhaps the most intriguing, the review emphasizes how dyslipidemia can play a central role in connecting these different conditions with AD. Various analyzes from the past have found ties between disruption in the metabolism of cholesterol and fatty acids with harmful brain or neuronal disorders. These include neuronal inflammation, Aβ protein structure, breakdown of blood-brain barrier and oxidative stress, all of which were analyzed in detail from a molecular biology perspective in the article.

It is important that this literature examination points to the fact that maintaining healthy blood fat levels can be more important for the health of the brain than previously thought. Promising preventive or therapeutic strategies that are currently being studied include cholesterol-lowering medicines and food approaches, such as Mediterranean and ketogenic diets and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. “About a third of the cases of Alzheimer’s worldwide can be linked to adjustable risk factors“Notes Professor Sun,”With the increasing prevalence of high -rich diets and longer lifespan, understanding how Mets and Dyslipidemia contribute to cognitive decline of crucial importance. “

In general, this extensive assessment forms a step in the direction of cementing our current understanding of the complex relationship between lipidetabolism and brain function. Even if the occurrence of both Mets and AD continues to rise worldwide, these insights could play a crucial role for the development of more effective prevention strategies and treatments.