Alzheimer’s disease: could detecting blood–brain barrier leaks lead to earlier diagnosis?

Written by Olivia Stevenson, Future Science Group

Researchers from the University of Southern California (CA, USA) have stated that focusing on early warnings from the blood–brain barrier (BBB) could allow for earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This early detection could allow for treatment to begin sooner and therefore lead to an improved prognosis for individuals with the disease. "Cognitive impairment, and accumulation in the brain of the abnormal proteins amyloid and tau, are what we currently rely upon to diagnose AD, but BBB breakdown and cerebral blood flow changes can be seen much earlier," commented Berislav Zlokovic (University of Southern California), corresponding author of the study....

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