Study Explores Relationship Between Heart Disease and Alzheimer's Disease
A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Science has found an association between Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers have identified a possible genetic link between Alzheimer’s disease and various disorders related to coronary artery disease, as well as lipids like cholesterol.
Previous research has associated cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
For the study, researchers focused on seven traits of coronary artery disease, which occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries supplying blood to the heart like angina pectoris, cardiac dysrhythmias, coronary atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and non-specific chest pain.
Scientists also examined 13 distinct lipids linked to coronary artery disease, such as lipoproteins, triglycerides, and cholesterol.
At the end of the study, researchers identified a significant genetic relationship among all seven traits related to coronary artery disease that was evaluated, as well as with triglyceride levels.
Furthermore, the scientists found a genetic connection between Alzheimer’s disease and three additional lipid measurements—high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and total cholesterol. They also identified genes with significant associations across Alzheimer’s disease, various lipid levels, and traits related to coronary artery disease.
The researcher noted that these findings can enhance our understanding of the fundamental biological mechanisms and the genetic connections between Alzheimer’s disease, specific lipids, and traits associated with coronary artery disease.
Reference: Kirby A, Porter T, Adewuyi EO, Laws SM. Investigating Genetic Overlap between Alzheimer’s Disease, Lipids, and Coronary Artery Disease: A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Cross Trait Analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(16):8814. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168814
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