Researchers reveal why dementia patients lose the ability to understand languages

A greater buildup of a toxic protein found in Alzheimer's disease on the left side of the brain can lead to a rare type of language dementia because of which people lose ability to express themselves and understand languages.

By: Agencies | | Updated: March 8, 2016 6:01 pm

A new study says that a greater buildup of a toxic protein found in Alzheimer’s disease on the left side of the brain can lead to a rare type of language dementia because of which people lose ability to express themselves and understand language. Using a special imaging technique, the scientists discovered the toxic build-up of amyloid protein is greater on the left side of the brain, the site of language processing, than on the right side in many individuals living with language dementia called primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Also Read - Beware! This could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s

‘By understanding where these proteins accumulate first and over time, we can better understand the course of the disease and where to target treatment,’ said lead study investigator Emily Rogalski, associate professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, US. ‘It is important to determine what Alzheimer’s looks like in PPA, because if it’s caused by something else, there is no sense of giving a patient an Alzheimer’s related drug because it would be ineffective,’ Rogalski said. Previously, amyloid accumulation in the brain could only be studied in an individual with Alzheimer’s disease had died. Also Read - Traumatic brain injury can increase risk of Alzheimer's disease: Tips to avoid head injuries

Now, a new technology called Amyloid PET Imaging allows researchers to investigate the build-up of the toxic amyloid during life. The researchers examined and compared beta-amyloid buildup in the brain using the Amyvid amyloid PET imaging tracer between individuals with PPA and those with Alzheimer’s memory dementia, the more common disease that causes memory problems. Both types of dementia (memory and language) can be caused by an accumulation of beta-amyloid, an abnormal toxic protein in the brain. Also Read - World Alzheimer's Day 2020: Misfolded proteins in the gut may be the culprit

By using Amyloid PET Imaging, the scientists found there was more amyloid in the left hemisphere parietal region of individuals with PPA compared to those with Alzheimer’s memory dementia. Researchers scanned 32 PPA patients and 19 of them had high amounts of amyloid and were likely to have the Alzheimer’s pathology. They were compared to 22 people who had the Alzheimer’s memory dementia. Those with the memory dementia had the same amount of amyloid on the left and right side of the brain.

Source: IANS

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Published : March 8, 2016 6:01 pm | Updated:March 8, 2016 6:01 pm

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