Study of preclinical diagnosis and pre-emptive treatment trial for neurodegenerative dementia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09820
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Waragai Masaaki 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 非常勤講師 (50533775)
• Research Collaborator: 徳田 隆彦 京都府立医科大学, 大学院医学研究科分子脳病態解析学(神経内科), 教授 (80242692) ; 鈴木 利治 北海道大学, 薬学研究院, 教授 (80179233) ; 荒井 啓行 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 教授 (30261613)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アルツハイマー病 / 血液バイオマーカーバイオマーカー / MRスペクトロスコピー / 後部帯状回

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied early and easy diagnostic methods for Mild Cognitive Impairment(MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease(AD) using by blood based factors and usual 1.5T Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) and spectroscopy(MRS) of the brain combined with cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) biomarkers amyloid beta and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in clinical practice. We found that plasma p-tau level is significantly increased in patients with early AD and Down syndrome which have same brain pathology as AD. Thus, the plasma levels of p-tau may be used for good blood biomarker for screening subjects at risk of AD.
Furthermore, our longitudinal study of brain metabolites by MRS demonstrated that significant decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/Myo-inositol(MI) ratio in the posterior cingulate gyri(PCG) not only in symptomatic AD but also preclinical AD.
Thus, we concluded that accurate measurement of plasma p-tau and amyloid beta together with decreased NAA/MI in the PCG could be used as useful peripheral AD biomarker.

Free Research Field

アルツハイマー病