A protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease could be transmitted through neurosurgery, it has been reported.
The researchers say there is no evidence that transmission of amyloid beta can cause Alzheimer’s – but it has caused other complications.
The discovery arose from a study of four patients who suffered cerebral haemorrhage caused by build-up of amyloid beta.
Reporting in Acta Neuropathologica, Professor Sebastian Brandner, of University College, London, UK, reports that all four patients were found to have undergone neurosurgery in earlier life as children or teenagers.
Professor Brandner said the transmission route seemed to be similar to that followed by prion proteins.
He said: “We have found new evidence that amyloid beta pathology may be transmissible. This does not mean that Alzheimer’s disease can be transmitted, as we did not find any significant amount of pathological tau protein which is the other hallmark protein of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our findings relate to neurosurgical procedures done a long time ago. Nevertheless, the possibility of pathological protein transmission, while rare, should factor into reviews of sterilisation and safety practices for surgical procedures.”
Fellow researcher Professor Simon Mead said: “There are several reasonable alternative explanations for our findings that we cannot yet rule out. Further research is required to clarify things. A large epidemiological study would be particularly useful.”
Evidence of amyloid-ß cerebral amyloid angiopathy transmission through neurosurgery Acta Neuropathologica 15 February 2018
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