Women with Alzheimer’s have far lower omega-3 levels than healthy women, while men show no such difference.
Researchers have discovered
that women with Alzheimer’s disease show a striking drop in omega-3 fatty acids compared
to healthy women, a difference not found in men.
This sex-specific
lipid imbalance could help explain why women are more often diagnosed with the
disease.
Omega Fatty
Acids and Alzheimer’s
Omega fatty acids could protect against Alzheimer’s
disease in women, new research has found.
Analysis of lipids – fat molecules that perform many
essential functions in the body – in the blood found there was a noticeable
loss of unsaturated fats, such as those that contain omega fatty acids, in the
blood of women with Alzheimer’s disease compared to healthy women.
Scientists found no significant difference in the same
lipid molecule composition in men with Alzheimer’s disease compared to healthy
men, which suggests that those lipids have a different role in the disease
according to sex. Fats perform important roles in maintaining a healthy brain,
so this study could indicate why more women are diagnosed with the disease.
First Study to
Reveal Sex-Based Lipid Roles
The study, published on August 20 in Alzheimer’s &
Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association by scientists
from King’s College London and Queen Mary University London, is the first to
reveal the important role lipids could have in the risk for Alzheimer’s between
the sexes.
Senior author Dr. Cristina Legido-Quigley, from King’s
College London, said: “Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s
Disease and are more often diagnosed with the disease than men after the age of
80. One of the most surprising things we saw when looking at the different
sexes was that there was no difference in these lipids in healthy and
cognitively impaired men, but for women this picture was completely different.
The study reveals that Alzheimer’s lipid biology is different between the
sexes, opening new avenues for research.”
Large-Scale
Plasma Sample Study
The scientists
took plasma samples from 841
participants who had Alzheimer’s Disease, mild cognitive impairment, and
cognitively healthy controls, and were measured for brain inflammation and
damage.
They used mass spectrometry to analyse the 700
individual lipids in the blood. Lipids are a group of many molecules. Saturated
lipids are generally considered ‘unhealthy’ or ‘bad’ lipids, while unsaturated
lipids, which sometimes contain omega fatty acids, are generally considered
‘healthy’.
Scientists saw a steep increase in lipids with
saturation – the ‘unhealthy lipids’ – in women with Alzheimer’s compared to the
healthy group. The lipids with attached omega fatty acids were the most
decreased in the Alzheimer’s group.
Possible Causal
Link With Fatty Acids
Now, the scientists say there is a statistical
indication that there is a causal link between Alzheimer’s Disease and fatty
acids. But a clinical trial is necessary to confirm the link.
Dr. Legido-Quigley added: “Our study suggests that
women should make sure they are getting omega fatty acids in their diet –
through fatty fish or via supplements. However, we need clinical trials to
determine if shifting the lipid composition can influence the biological
trajectory of Alzheimer’s Disease.”
Biological
Differences Detected Early in Life
Dr. Asger Wretlind, first author of the study from
King’s College London, said: “Scientists have known for some time that more
women than men are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Although this still
warrants further research, we were able to detect biological differences in
lipids between the sexes in a large cohort, and show the importance of lipids
containing omegas in the blood, which has not been done before. The results are
very striking, and now we are looking at how early in life this change occurs
in women.”
Dr. Julia Dudley, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s
Research UK, says: “In the UK, two in three people living with dementia are
women. This could be linked to living longer, or other risk factors like social
isolation, education, or hormonal changes from the menopause being at play.
Next Steps:
Mechanisms, Lifestyle, and Diversity
“While this
study shows that women with Alzheimer’s had lower levels of some unsaturated
fats compared with men, further work is needed. This includes understanding the
mechanisms behind this difference and finding out if lifestyle changes,
including diet could have a role. Future research should also be carried out in
a more ethnically diverse population to see if the same effect is seen.
“Understanding how the disease works differently in women could help doctors tailor future treatments and health advice. Alzheimer’s Research UK is proud to be funding this work that will bring us a step closer to a cure.”
No comments:
Post a Comment