Brain Injuries May Raise the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Say Researchers

Scientists
at
The
Ohio
State
University
Wexner
Medical
Center
have
gotten
the
evidence
that
traumatic
brain
injuries
(TBI)
could
heighten
the
risk
of
developing

Alzheimer’s
disease.
This
study
had
involved
both
animal
models
and
human
brain
tissue.
It
sheds
light
on
how
TBIs
may
trigger
harmful
protein
build-ups
in
the
brain,
leading
to
cognitive
issues
associated
with
Alzheimer’s.
A
key
aspect
of
the
research
points
to
a
protein
called
BAG3,
which
plays
a
critical
role
in
removing
harmful
proteins
from
the
brain.
Enhancing
this
protein
could
potentially
reduce
the
risk
of
Alzheimer’s
in
individuals
who
have
experienced
TBI.

How
TBIs
May
Lead
to
Alzheimer’s
Disease

Each
year,
about
2.5
million
individuals
suffer
from
TBIs,
with
many
facing
an
elevated
risk
of
Alzheimer’s
later
in
life.
The
research
team,
led
by
Dr
Hongjun
“Harry”
Fu,
Assistant
Professor
of

Neuroscience,
sought
to
uncover
the
molecular
mechanisms
connecting
TBI
to
Alzheimer’s.
By
examining
mouse
models
and
human
post-mortem
brain
samples,
they
found
that
TBIs
increased
the
presence
of
hyperphosphorylated
tau
proteins—known
for
their
role
in
Alzheimer’s
disease.
These
proteins,
along
with
other
factors
like
synaptic
dysfunction,
create
the
ideal
conditions
for
cognitive
decline.

The
Potential
Role
of
BAG3
Protein
in
Prevention

Researchers
has
noted
that
the
downregulation
of
BAG3
after
TBI
contributes
to
the
accumulation
of
tau
proteins
in
neurons.
By
using
a
gene
therapy
approach
to
increase
BAG3
levels,
they
were
able
to
reverse
some
of
the
damage,
improving
brain
function
and
clearing
out
harmful
proteins.
This
suggests
that
targeting
BAG3
might
be
a
viable
strategy
for
preventing
Alzheimer’s
disease
following
brain
injury.

Next
Steps
in
Research

As
part
of
ongoing
research,
scientists
are
using
a
model
known
as
CHIMERA,
which
closely
mimics
the
effects
of
mild
TBIs
in
humans.
This
will
help
further
explore
how
TBI
and
Alzheimer’s
are
connected,
offering
potential
new
treatments
for
reducing
Alzheimer’s
risk
post-TBI.