Direct Relationship Found Between Two Antibodies and AD Severity

A direct relationship has been discovered between two specific antibodies and the severity of Alzheimer's disease symptoms, raising hopes that a diagnostic blood test for the devastating disorder is within reach.

The body creates antibodies in response to two proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. One protein, known as amyloid-beta, forms the plaques that are evident in the brains of people with Alzheimer's upon autopsy. The other protein, known as RAGE, is involved in the normal aging process but is expressed at higher levels in the brains of people with Alzheimer's.

Scientists from the University of Georgia (Athens, GA, USA), the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta (Augusta, GA, USA), and the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta, GA, USA) compared antibody levels in blood samples from 118 older adults with the participant's level of dementia. The team found that the concentration of two specific proteins that are involved in the immune response increases as the severity of dementia increases.

"We found a strong and consistent relationship between two particular antibodies and the level of impairment," said Professor L. Stephen Miller, director of clinical psychology training in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "The finding brings us closer to our ultimate goal of developing a blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer's disease or potentially identify if someone is at higher risk for the disease."

Related Links:
University of Georgia
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta
Medical College of Georgia