Neuronal Pantraxin-2 and Alzheimer's Disease (Photo : Twitter/@BillMoyersHQ)
A protein called neuronal pentraxin-2 may delay the memory loss that results from Alzheimer's disease, according to research.
Iowa State University food science and human nutrition researcher Auriel Willette conducted a study that aimed to determine the relationship of the neuronal pentraxin-2 protein levels, cognitive activity, and brain size of patients with Alzheimer's disease, as per Science Daily.
The study involved three groups of people from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative - those without Alzheimer's disease, those with mild cognitive dysfunction or memory problems, and those with full-scale Alzheimer's disease.
Brain images and cerebrospinal fluid samples of the subjects were obtained for data analysis. It was found out that those subjects with increased levels of inflammatory proteins in their cerebrospinal fluid displayed higher memory loss and brain shrinkage over two years.
The research findings suggested that the increased levels of the protein neuronal pantraxin-2 may inhibit decrease in cognitive abilities and minimize brain atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Neuronal pentraxin-2 is naturally generated by the body's neurons, the brain cells responsible for carrying electrical impulses and chemical signals.
In the nervous system, neuronal pentraxin-2 helps in forming or reconstructing connections between brain cells. This is done by removing debris in the cells and strengthening connections to pave away for new ones.
Alzheimer's disease stands as the most common cause of dementia among older people and experts said that up to 5 million old people in the United States aged 65 years or above, as per National Institute on Aging.
For Willette, Alzheimer's disease is a "devastating illness" that is capable of "robbing" a person's self. He added that eliminating risk factors for brain inflammation may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Exercise and social engagement can help produce neuronal pentraxin-2, thus preventing the disease.
Willette is set to present his research findings at the annual scientific meeting of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society on June 3 to 6 in Seattle.
