Medical Bulletin 26/December/2023

Here are the top medical news of the day:

Predicting Alzheimer’s dementia in oldest of the old

A new study indicates that severity of amyloid deposition in the brain — not just age — may be key to determining who will benefit from new anti-amyloid therapies to delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

University of Pittsburgh clinicians and scientists report that the accumulation of toxic amyloid beta clumps that signal Alzheimer’s disease pathology accelerates in old age but the baseline amyloid burden and the overall brain health going into this acceleration are more powerful predictors of who is most likely to progress to Alzheimer’s. The paper was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Reference: Predicting Alzheimer’s dementia in oldest of the old, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, Neurology

Study reveals the relationship of gut microbiome on children’s brain development and function

Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in cognitive outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders, but the influence of gut microbial metabolism on typical neurodevelopment has not been explored in detail.

Researchers from Wellesley College, in collaboration with other institutions, have demonstrated that differences in the gut microbiome are associated with overall cognitive function and brain structure in healthy children. This study – published in Science Advances – is a part of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program funded by the National Institutes of Health. This study investigates this relationship in 381 healthy children, all part of The RESONANCE cohort in Providence, Rhode Island, offering novel insights into early childhood development.

Reference: Study reveals the relationship of gut microbiome on children’s brain development and function, Science Advances

The stomach bug that may raise your risk of Alzheimer’s disease

A common stomach bacteria found in two thirds of the world population may be linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests.

The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, investigated whether a clinically apparent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease in people aged 50 and older. The prevalent infection can trigger indigestion, gastritis, ulcers, and even stomach cancer.

Reference: The stomach bug that may raise your risk of Alzheimer’s disease; Alzheimer s & Dementia, DOI: 10.1002/alz.13561