Weight loss link to early Alzheimer's

Tuesday November 22nd, 2011

Loss of weight in middle age may be a sign of Alzheimer's disease, researchers warned last night.

When weight loss is combined with mild mental impairment, there is a very high risk that Alzheimer's is developing, according to a US study.

Excessive weight is known to be a risk factor for dementia - but the latest findings suggest that weight loss may be a more significant clinical sign.

The study, reported in the journal Neurology, involved more than 500 people who underwent a range of tests in the search for indicators of Alzheimer's disease in a project in Kansas, USA.

Some of them had mild memory problems without diagnosed Alzheimer's.

But 85 per cent of these with a BMI of less than 25 were found to have beta-amyloid plaques in their brains. This compared with 48 per cent of those who were overweight.

Researcher Dr Jeffrey Burns, of the University of Kansas School of Medicine, said Alzheimer's might affect the body's metabolism in its early stages.

He said: "These results suggest Alzheimer's disease brain changes are associated with systemic metabolic changes in the very earliest phases of the disease.

"This might be due to damage in the area of the brain called the hypothalamus that plays a role in regulating energy metabolism and food intake.

"Further studies should investigate whether this relationship reflects a systemic response to an unrecognised disease or a long-standing trait that predisposes a person to developing the disease."

Neurology November 22 2011

Tags: Brain & Neurology | Diet & Food | North America

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