Alzheimer research explores head shape and blood biomarkers

Researchers are investigating two distinct pathways that may advance Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and understanding. One study examines the potential link between head shape, brain anatomy, and the progression of the disease. Specifically, researchers are looking at how the proximity of the entorhinal cortex to the tentorial notch might influence the accumulation of Tau proteins, which are associated with early dementia development.

In a separate discovery, scientists have identified a potential blood biomarker for Alzheimer's. The molecule HAEE, composed of four amino acids, was found in significantly lower concentrations in the blood of Alzheimer's patients compared to healthy individuals. In a study of 350 samples, patients showed an average HAEE concentration approximately 51 percent lower than healthy controls. While originally developed as a potential therapeutic agent, this molecule may now serve as the basis for a new diagnostic blood test. Researchers are still determining whether a deficiency in HAEE contributes to the disease or is a consequence of it.