Liver function, diet could affect Alzheimer’s disease risk

New research shows that impaired liver function could contribute to Alzheimer’s risk by failing to supply key lipids to the brain

What you eat and how much of that is utilised well in the body could be a key factor in development of Alzheimer’s Disease.

According to new research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2018, reduced levels of a class of lipids called plasmalogens produced in the liver are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Plasmalogens are integral to cell membranes in the brain.

The study was led by Mitchel A. Kling, MD, an associate professor of Psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and his team.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Eventually, the ability to carry out simple tasks is also lost. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Some estimates say figures for India could be as high as 4 million.

Plasmalogens flow through the  bloodstream in the form of lipoproteins, which also transport cholesterol and other lipids to and from cells and tissues throughout the body, including the brain. Kling, and the multi-institutional Alzheimer’s Disease Metabolomics Consortium led by Rima F. Kaddurah-Daouk, PhD, at Duke University School of Medicine, developed three indices for measuring the amount of these lipids.

The three indices measured were: the ratios of plasmalogens to each other; the ratios of plasmalogens to their closely-related, more conventional lipid counterparts; and a combination of these two quantities.

“This research highlights a potential relationship between conditions such as obesity and diabetes and Alzheimer’s”

The team observed that lower values of these indices were associated with a higher likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, some of the decreased plasmalogen levels were correlated with increased levels of the tau protein in the brain, a marker of Alzheimer’s disease.

“This research shows that an age-related deficiency of plasmalogens could lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, because the liver cannot make enough of them,” said Kling, who is also a fellow of the Institute on Aging.

He added: “This research has a variety of interesting implications. For example, it highlights a potential relationship between conditions such as obesity and diabetes and Alzheimer’s–as the liver has to work harder to break down fatty acids over time. This could lead to the eventual destruction of the peroxisomes that create plasmalogens which thus, increases the risk of Alzheimer’s.”