Study Investigates Link Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Heart Disease

Research Overview

Recent research involving 1.5 million individuals has explored the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. Growing evidence from both clinical trials and epidemiological studies indicates a potential connection between these two conditions. The co-occurrence of Alzheimer’s and heart disease is recognized as the leading cause of dementia among older adults.

Predisposition and Risk Factors

Certain individuals may be genetically predisposed to both Alzheimer’s disease and factors that contribute to heart disease, such as elevated blood lipids (high cholesterol). However, the precise nature of the relationship between the two diseases remains a topic of ongoing debate.

Genetic Insights

Genetic research has identified specific genes associated with cardiovascular disease that also heighten the risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The current study, notable for its scale, delved into genome-wide data from over 1.5 million participants. The authors aim for this research to enhance prevention and diagnostic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Methodology and Findings

Published in Acta Neuropathologica, the study employed innovative statistical techniques to connect the diseases with genetic variations obtained from extensive genomic studies. The researchers identified 90 genomic regions where particular DNA sequence changes increased the likelihood of developing both Alzheimer’s disease and high cholesterol, a prevalent cardiovascular risk factor.

Additional Risk Factors

Interestingly, the research did not establish a clear genetic relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and other risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, chest pain, or increased abdominal fat.

Expert Commentary

Lead author Iris Broce-Diaz commented on the findings, stating, “These results suggest that Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease could both be influenced by genetic defects that impair the body’s ability to process lipids properly. If we can identify the subset of individuals whose cardiovascular and brain health is linked genetically, we think there’s a possibility that reducing their blood lipid levels could help reduce their risk of developing dementia later in life.”

References

Broce IJ, Tan CH, Fan CC, et al. Dissecting the genetic relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neuropathologica (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-018-1928-6
Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease share common genetics in some patients. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/uoc–aac110918.php