Study: Obesity's EVs Speed Alzheimer's Progression
A groundbreaking study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia has revealed that extracellular vesicles (EVs) from body fat can cross the blood-brain barrier and influence brain function, potentially accelerating Alzheimer's disease progression in obese individuals. Led by Stephen Wong, Ph.D., the research titled 'Decoding Adipose-Brain Crosstalk' discovered distinct lipid profiles in EVs from obese individuals. Notably, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingomyelin (SM) species were found to be prominent. These lipids, when present in EVs, can speed up the aggregation of amyloid-β proteins, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, in laboratory models. The study, involving researchers such as Luisa Fernando de Castro e Silva and Fernanda S. Pereira, suggests that targeting these tiny cell messengers could disrupt their communication and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease in people with obesity. With obesity affecting about 40% of the U.S. population and being the top modifiable risk factor for dementia, these findings have significant implications. The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, underscores the potential link between obesity and Alzheimer's disease through adipose-derived extracellular vesicles. Future work should focus on how drug therapy could halt or slow the build-up of Alzheimer's-related toxic proteins in at-risk individuals, offering hope for prevention and treatment strategies.
