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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Could replenishing a brain chemical found in short supply in Alzheimers patients help treat the condition? Researchers who discovered the shortfall report studies are warranted to look into that possibility.
Researchers decided to study the chemical, called ethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsEtn), because it is thought to influence the availability of another brain chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine, which plays a vital role in memory formation, is known to be reduced in people with dementia of the Alzheimers type, or DAT -- an umbrella term these researchers use to describe neurodegenerative dementia.
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The investigators measured PlsEtn levels in more than 400 people diagnosed with dementia and more than 350 people without the condition. Overall, levels were significantly lower in the patients than in the healthy people and went down as the severity of the condition increased. Whats more, PlsEtn levels appeared to drop even before significant symptoms began.
That finding led the researchers to conclude PlsEtn may have a role to play in not only treating Alzheimers disease, but also in preventing it from occurring in the first place.
These findings are consistent with the known epidemiological, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical course of DAT, write the study authors. As such, clinical trials involving PlsEtn restoration should be undertaken to determine its efficacy in the treatment and/or prevention of DAT.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Journal of Lipid Research, 2007;48:2485-2498
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