A new study showed that measuring differences in breathing patterns and oxygen supply in the brain may help early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, which may lead to better diagnosis and treatment.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Lancaster from the United Kingdom and the University of Liopulliana in Slovenia, and its results were published in Brain Communications on February 3 and the Independent newspaper wrote about it.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is a kind of dementia that affects memory, thinking, behavior and cognitive abilities. The disease exacerbates the passage of time. In the early stages of it, memory loss is slight, but in the late stage individuals lose the ability to speak with others and respond to their environment. On average, a person with Alzheimer’s disease lives from 4 to 8 years after diagnosis, but in some cases he can live for up to 20 years, depending on other factors.
The study shows that the changes in oxygen supply can contribute to the occurrence of nervous degeneration; Any deterioration of nerve cells, especially in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
“The nerve cells and blood vessels work together to ensure the brain gets enough energy. In fact, the brain needs approximately 20% of the total body consumption of energy, although its weight does not exceed 1.4 kg, which is only 2% of body weight,” says researcher Dr. Bernard Meglich from the University of Liopulliana in Slovenia.
The researchers worked to examine how the changes in the neurovascular unit affect the brain – consisting of blood vessels connected to the neurons across the brain cells and are called stellar cells – on the condition of Alzheimer’s.
“It can be assumed that Alzheimer’s disease can be caused by not feeding the brain properly through blood vessels,” said Dr. Anita Stefanovska of the UK University of Lancaster.
Senses and belts
To assess the function of the vascular nervous unit in the new study, the researchers worked to connect electrical and optical sensors to the scalp to measure blood flow, electrical activity and oxygen in the brain, as well as the Electrical Electrical Plan (ECG) and a wrapped belt around the chest to monitor the heart rate and breathing.
By recording these measurements and indicators at one time, researchers were able to capture the body’s natural physiological rhythms and their complete timing, while scientists found that the effective performance of the brain depends on the success of the organization of all these rhythms.
Scientists also unexpectedly found that the breathing rate during rest is significantly higher in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Through the study of two groups of people himself, one of them with Alzheimer’s disease and the other for Sulaimine, it was found that the average breathing rate in the healthy group was approximately 13 breaths per minute while the group with Alzheimer’s disease had 17 breaths per minute.
“This is an interesting discovery,” said Dr. Anita.
“This discovery is likely to indicate an inflammation, perhaps in the brain, which, once discovered, can likely be treated, and it may be prohibited from developing severe Alzheimer’s cases in the future,” she added.
The researchers said the results may result in promising drug targets for future treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Anita concluded, “We showed clear results of our approach and how Alzheimer’s disease can be discovered simply and without surgical intervention and in an inexpensive way. This method has great potential, but of course more research is needed.”