Early Neuroinflammation Linked to Alzheimer’s Risk, Studyโค Finds
A new study โฃhas revealedโ that neuroinflammation, a process involving inflammation in the brain, can begin as early as age 20 โฃandโ may play a direct roleโฃ in the development of Alzheimer’s โdisease, especially in individuals with Down syndrome. โresearchers believe this finding identifies a potentialโค target forโ future therapies aimed atโ delaying โor preventing the onset of the disease.
The research,conductedโค by a team led โby Faria,compared neuroinflammation patternsโฃ in โค29 individuals with Down syndrome and 35 individuals without the condition,all betweenโ the ages of 20 and 50. Using โขpositron emissionโค tomography (PET)scanswithspecializedradiopharmaceuticalstheteamvisualizedbothโbeta-amyloidโฃplaqueformationandinflammatoryprocesseswithinthelivingbrain
Results showed โขincreased neuroinflammationโ in the frontal, โขtemporal, occipital, โand limbic regionsโ of the brains of โคthose withโค Down syndrome, evenโ in the younger age group of 20-34. This suggests that the inflammatory process may precede the โฃformation of beta-amyloidโฃ plaques,โ a hallmark of Alzheimer’sโ disease. A strong correlation โขbetween the โคlevel of inflammation and beta-amyloid accumulation was particularly โคnoticeable in participants over 50.
To further investigate, researchers also โmonitored neuroinflammation inโ genetically modified mice engineered to exhibit characteristics similar to Down โsyndrome over a two-year period. This allowed for a comprehensiveโ view of disease progression. The combined data fromโฃ both humanโข and โanimalโค studies provided valuable insights into the aging process in individuals withโ Down syndrome.
The study identified a “biphasic” pattern to โthe neuroinflammation.โข Initially, microglia – the brain’s immune โcells – appear to act protectively, attempting to counteract changes caused by Down syndrome. However, over time, this responseโ shifts to becomeโข pro-inflammatory, perhaps exacerbating neuronal damage. As Faria explained,โ “It’s โคas if the โขbrain tries to protect itself, but ends up contributing to the problem.”
While โa cure for Alzheimer’s disease remainsโ elusive,this โคresearch strengthensโ the hypothesis that โฃneuroinflammation occurs before beta-amyloidโข plaque โdeposition in individuals with Down syndrome. โThisโค findingโ opens avenues โคfor developing therapies toโข slow or โขhaltโ the inflammatory process, potentially โฃdelaying the onset of Alzheimer’s.
Importantly, theโ study also demonstratesโค the viability of โคusing real-time brain imaging to monitor neuroinflammation. This technology allows researchers to assess theโฃ effectiveness of potential treatments andโข facilitates the inclusion of individualsโ with Down syndrome in Alzheimer’s clinical trials. Faria emphasized the importance of this population, stating โคthey exhibit โฃunique โdisease developmentโ patterns compared to the generalโค population,โ making them โcrucial for developing effective and personalizedโฃ treatments.
Source: Sรฃo Paulo State โคResearch Supportโ Foundation. https://agencia.fapesp.br/people-with-down-syndrome-have-early-neuroinflammation/56011
Journal Reference: Mantovani,dba,et al. โ (2025) โคA chemical epigenetic tool to probe โฃsite-specificโ DNA-binding protein complexes. Alzheimer’sโ & Dementia.โ https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70449
