Brain lesions can predict Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Damage to small blood vessels in the brain could be a secondary risk factor leading to Alzheimer’s Disease, a new study in JAMA Neurology suggests. A part of this blood vessel damage is known as white matter hyperintensities, seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and appearing to increase the risk for the disease, making it a secondary factor, reported Medical News Today. Experts believe the primary factor of Alzheimer’s development is the accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in the brain. The study consisted of data from 20 subjects with Alzheimer’s Disease from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database, 59 participants with mild cognitive impairment, and data from 21 normal control subjects. The authors discovered that both factors were independent predictors of Alzheimer’s disease. Among participants with heightened amyloid plaque levels, those with Alzheimer’s had higher volumes of white matter hyperintensities or small brain lesions that were seen via MRI. Among subjects with mild cognitive impairment, both factors predicted the development of Alzheimer’s disease.