25 March,2024 12:09 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Image for representational purposes only. Photo Courtesy: iStock
An Indian-origin scientist in his research has found that reducing the risk of dementia in Alzheimer's is possible by keeping diabetes well controlled or avoiding it in the first place.
Narendra Kumar, an associate professor at the US-based Texas A&M University, who led the study published in the journal 'American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology', found that diabetes and Alzheimer's disease are strongly linked.
"By taking preventative or amelioration measures for diabetes, we can prevent or at least significantly slow down the progression of the symptoms of dementia in Alzheimer's disease," he said.
Diabetes and Alzheimer's are two of the fastest-growing health concerns globally. Diabetes alters the body's ability to turn food into energy and affects an estimated one in 10 US adults. Alzheimer's is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the US, according to the study.
ALSO READ
Flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for five days: Study
Targeting gut cells may open new way to reduce depression and anxiety
Every 10 unit rise in annual PM2.5 exposure raising death risk in Indians: Study
Early-onset colon cancer cases surge globally but lowest in India: Study
Mumbai doctors give Jalgaon woman with rare heart defect second chance at life
The researchers investigated how diet might affect the development of Alzheimer's in people with diabetes.
They discovered that a high-fat diet reduces the expression of a specific protein in the gut called Jak3. Mice without this protein showed a chain of inflammation from the intestine to the liver and then to the brain. As a result, the mice displayed Alzheimer's-like symptoms in the brain, along with cognitive impairment.
The researchers believe that the pathway from the gut to the brain involves the liver.
"Liver being the metaboliser for everything we eat, we think that the path from gut to the brain goes through the liver," Kumar said.
They have been studying the functions of Jak3 for a long time and have found that changes in the expression of Jak3 due to food can lead to leaky gut, resulting in chronic inflammation, diabetes, reduced brain ability to clear toxic substances, and dementia-like symptoms seen in Alzheimer's disease.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
