Middle-aged women with high levels of a specific amino acid in their blood may be twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life, a new study indicates.

According to researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, these findings could lead to a new and simple way of determining who is at risk long before there are any signs of the illness.

The Swedish study, which was started at the end of the 1960s, involved almost 1,500 women between the ages of 38 and 60.

“Alzheimer's disease was more than twice as common among the women with the highest levels of homocysteine than among those with the lowest, and the risk for any kind of dementia was 70% higher,” the researchers said.

Homocysteine is an amino acid that is important for the body's metabolism. It is known that high levels of homocysteine can damage the blood vessels and increase the risk of blood clots.

The researchers said more studies were needed to determine whether it is the homocysteine itself that damages the brain, or whether there is some other underlying factor that both increases levels of the homocysteine and causes dementia.

The study was published by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Alzheimer’s and related dementia currently affects approximately 38,000 people in Ireland but, due to Ireland’s rapidly ageing population, that number is predicted to rise to 58,000 by 2021 and 104,000 by 2036.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and is a progressive and irreversible disease of the brain, characterised by loss of intellectual function, chronic memory loss, language deterioration and personality change.

For more information on Alzheimer’s disease click on http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/alzheim/index.html

Link: Blood test identifies women at risk from Alzheimer's