Bacteria prevalent in sinusitis and pneumonia may worsen. alzheimer’s diseaseaccording to a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications.
bacteriaResearchers at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University in California say they have discovered Chlamydia pneumoniae in the eyes of deceased Alzheimer’s disease patients.
“The retina has a direct connection to the brain. The retina is a developmental extension of the brain,” lead researcher Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, Ph.D., professor of neurosurgery, neurology, and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai University of Health Sciences, told FOX News Digital.
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This study showed that Chlamydia pneumoniae can reach the retinal tissue that lines the inside of the retina. deep in the eyes It causes an inflammatory response that lasts for several years and can be associated with nerve cell death. This can contribute to cognitive decline and worsen Alzheimer’s symptoms.
The results of this study target inflammation, Treatment with antibiotics According to Koronyo Hamaoui, this is the early stage of the infection.
“One hope of this study is that when people present an issue, [symptoms of] Pneumonia or atypical pneumonia or other diseases respiratory infectionsPhysicians should specifically consider testing for Chlamydia pneumoniae and subsequently prescribing specific antibiotics,” the researchers said.
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Infection can be identified by laboratory tests such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction), blood tests, or cultures that grow live microorganisms for analysis.
Researchers examined retinal tissue samples from more than 100 deceased people and divided them into three groups: those with Alzheimer’s disease, those with some cognitive impairment, and those without Alzheimer’s disease.
They analyze proteins; genetic testing They then used advanced imaging techniques on the samples. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease had higher levels of bacteria in their brain and retinal tissue compared to patients with normal cognitive abilities, the statement said.
Professor Koronyo-Hamaoui added that higher levels of chlamydial pneumonia were found in people with the genetic variant APOE4, a related risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. This bacterium was also associated with more severe cognitive decline.
The Cedars-Sinai team also noted: human neurons In laboratory mice with Alzheimer’s disease, C. pneumoniae was found to be associated with increased inflammation, neuronal cell death, and cognitive decline, further suggesting that C. pneumoniae may play a role in promoting the disease.
The infection also stimulated the production of amyloid beta, a protein known to accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, Koronyo-Hamaoui said.
The study points to the use of the retina as a way to diagnose and monitor disease, but the researchers acknowledged that further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau on Long Island, New York, who was not involved in the study, called the findings “interesting.”
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Glatt, who is also a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, emphasized that the study results only show an association, not causation. clinical research is required.
“Chlamydia pneumoniae is a very common respiratory pathogen, and many people are exposed to it throughout their lives,” he told Fox News Digital. “While this study identifies a link between this bacterium and neurodegeneration, standard sinusitis It does not mean that the patient will develop Alzheimer’s disease. ”
The important point, Glatt said, is that while this study opens new doors for potential diagnosis and treatment, it “doesn’t give us immediate reason to be alarmed about common infectious diseases.”
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Dr. Sharon Fekrat, a clinical spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a retinal specialist at Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina, agreed that the findings will help researchers better understand how inflammation drives disease progression and “could lead to new methods.” Detect or treat Alzheimer’s disease future. “
“This is an early study that suggests infection-related inflammation may worsen Alzheimer’s disease in an already vulnerable population,” Fekrat, who was also not involved in the study, told FOX News Digital. “This doesn’t mean that infections cause Alzheimer’s disease or that you should worry about past respiratory illnesses.”
Although some teams are developing and testing retinal imaging tools in living patients, Fekrat noted that these methods are not yet part of routine clinical screening and diagnosis.
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So far, the most proven steps include following brain-healthy habits. cardiovascular risk factorsexperts added, should maintain mental and social engagement and seek medical care if they have cognitive symptoms.
