Could a blood test identify who is susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease?

Lead Investigator: Dr Gayle Middleton
Institution: University of St Andrews
Grant type: Fellowship
Duration: 3 years
Amount: £146,689

Scientific Title: Consequences of hyperhomocysteinemia for Alzheimer's Disease: a genetic, proteomic and cellular approach.

What do we already know?

Hyperhomocysteinemia occurs when the chemical homocysteine, a building block of protein, is found at higher than normal levels. This can occur due to aging and certain genetic conditions.

Even a small increase in levels doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. However, the reason for this is not yet known.

What does this project involve?

Dr Doherty is investigating the effects of homocysteine on the expression of genes and proteins within nerve cells. She hopes to identify why high levels of the chemical result in increased susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease.

This work involves a process known as proteomics, where nerve cells grown in the laboratory are used to screen large numbers of proteins to determine which ones are influenced by homocysteine.

How will this benefit people with dementia?

Since homocysteine is easily detectable in blood, this work could lead to development of techniques to identify individuals who are susceptible to Alzheimer's disease.

Proteins identified during the project might be developed as candidate targets to produce novel drug treatments.

This project has been generously supported by the Henry Smith Charity.