Study Links Maternal History to Higher Alzheimer’s Risk

A new study has recently revealed that the mother’s side significantly increases the genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and affects memory and thinking ability badly. It usually affects over 55 million people in the world. The number of affected individuals is expected to double every 20 years. Hence it is crucial to find better ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent dementia. This study is very useful for researchers to develop new effective therapies. 

This study was recently published in JAMA Neurology. In this study researchers involved 4413 people aged between 65 and 85. These people did not have any cognitive issues. Researchers used position emission tomography (PET) imaging to scan the brains of participants to find some markers of Alzheimer’s disease. They were mainly looking for amyloid plaques. These are clumps of protein called beta-amyloid that are associated with Alzheimer’s. Amyloid plaques damage and kill brain cells and causes Alzheimer’s disease. 
 
When researchers observed results of the PET scans, they found that participants whose mother had a history of memory impairment had higher levels of beta-amyloid. Researchers also noticed that participants with maternal history had significantly higher beta-amyloid levels as compared to those with paternal history or no family history of memory loss. But the reason behind this link is not completely known.  

Researchers of this study said that mitochondria dysfunction may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. These are energy-providing structures in cells. Mitochondria that are inherited from the mother have their DNA. Hence, they can cause mutations that cause malfunction. The brain usually consumes about 20% of the body’s energy. This means mitochondria dysfunction is linked to cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. 

This study expands on previous research on genetics’ role in Alzheimer’s disease. It utilized a larger sample size to draw stronger conclusions and emphasize the importance of maternal genetics. It enhances the statistical power of these studies. 

This study clearly shows that mother’s side increases the genetic risk of the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Hence there is a need for more research to find new treatments for those whose mothers have a history of this disease. This can effectively save many lives.