Levels of iron within the brain might be a warning sign of future Alzheimer’s disease, a brand new study suggests.
High levels of the chemical element have been shown to increase brain toxins and trigger neurodegeneration, leading to cognitive decline — especially after they interact with the abnormal amyloid and tau proteins which are the hallmark pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that a special MRI technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can measure levels of brain iron.
“QSM is a complicated MRI technique developed over the past decade to measure tissue magnetic susceptibility with good precision,” the study’s senior creator, Xu Li, associate professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said in a press release.
“QSM can detect small differences in iron levels across different brain regions, providing a reliable and non-invasive solution to map and quantify iron in patients, which will not be possible with conventional MR approaches.”
In comparison with traditional imaging options for Alzheimer’s diagnosis, including PET scans, QSM MRI is “non-invasive and far cheaper,” based on the researchers.
This measurement could help predict the likelihood of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive decline, even when the person has shown no symptoms.
Within the study, which was published within the journal Radiology, the researchers tested the MRI technique on 158 cognitively unimpaired participants from a previous research project.
After a follow-up period of 7½ years, the team concluded that higher iron levels in two key parts of the brain were linked to the next risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is often a precursor to the event of Alzheimer’s dementia.
“The important thing takeaway of our study is that higher brain iron levels, especially in some critical brain regions related to memory and learning (entorhinal cortex and putamen, as shown in our study), are linked to a two to 4 times higher risk of developing MCI and faster cognitive decline,” Li told Fox News Digital.
“And such brain iron changes could also be measured years before memory loss, when the participants are still cognitively normal.
“Using QSM, we found higher brain iron in some memory-related regions which are linked to the next risk of developing cognitive impairment and faster cognitive decline,” Li said. “This risk is even higher when the participants have higher levels of amyloid pathologies.”
The study did have some limitations, Li noted, including the smaller group of participants.
“The study population is from a specialized cohort consisting of mainly White, highly educated participants with a powerful family history of Alzheimer’s disease,” the researcher noted.
If larger, more diverse studies confirm these findings, it could support using this MRI technique for patients at the next risk of dementia, the discharge stated.
“I believe we must be hopeful,” Li said. “We will use this type of tool to assist discover patients at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and potentially guide early interventions as latest treatments change into available. Also, besides serving as a biomarker, brain iron may change into a future therapeutic goal.”
The researchers also hope to make the QSM technology more standardized, faster and more widely accessible in clinical practice, he added.
Li noted that while brain iron is related to neurodegeneration and could lead on to faster cognitive decline, it’s also a vital element for cognitive health and neurodevelopment at a young age.
“While iron chelation therapies (to remove iron) for Alzheimer’s are currently explored, their effect continues to be not very clear and rather more research is required,” he said.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health.
Levels of iron within the brain might be a warning sign of future Alzheimer’s disease, a brand new study suggests.
High levels of the chemical element have been shown to increase brain toxins and trigger neurodegeneration, leading to cognitive decline — especially after they interact with the abnormal amyloid and tau proteins which are the hallmark pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that a special MRI technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can measure levels of brain iron.
“QSM is a complicated MRI technique developed over the past decade to measure tissue magnetic susceptibility with good precision,” the study’s senior creator, Xu Li, associate professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said in a press release.
“QSM can detect small differences in iron levels across different brain regions, providing a reliable and non-invasive solution to map and quantify iron in patients, which will not be possible with conventional MR approaches.”
In comparison with traditional imaging options for Alzheimer’s diagnosis, including PET scans, QSM MRI is “non-invasive and far cheaper,” based on the researchers.
This measurement could help predict the likelihood of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive decline, even when the person has shown no symptoms.
Within the study, which was published within the journal Radiology, the researchers tested the MRI technique on 158 cognitively unimpaired participants from a previous research project.
After a follow-up period of 7½ years, the team concluded that higher iron levels in two key parts of the brain were linked to the next risk of mild cognitive impairment, which is often a precursor to the event of Alzheimer’s dementia.
“The important thing takeaway of our study is that higher brain iron levels, especially in some critical brain regions related to memory and learning (entorhinal cortex and putamen, as shown in our study), are linked to a two to 4 times higher risk of developing MCI and faster cognitive decline,” Li told Fox News Digital.
“And such brain iron changes could also be measured years before memory loss, when the participants are still cognitively normal.
“Using QSM, we found higher brain iron in some memory-related regions which are linked to the next risk of developing cognitive impairment and faster cognitive decline,” Li said. “This risk is even higher when the participants have higher levels of amyloid pathologies.”
The study did have some limitations, Li noted, including the smaller group of participants.
“The study population is from a specialized cohort consisting of mainly White, highly educated participants with a powerful family history of Alzheimer’s disease,” the researcher noted.
If larger, more diverse studies confirm these findings, it could support using this MRI technique for patients at the next risk of dementia, the discharge stated.
“I believe we must be hopeful,” Li said. “We will use this type of tool to assist discover patients at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and potentially guide early interventions as latest treatments change into available. Also, besides serving as a biomarker, brain iron may change into a future therapeutic goal.”
The researchers also hope to make the QSM technology more standardized, faster and more widely accessible in clinical practice, he added.
Li noted that while brain iron is related to neurodegeneration and could lead on to faster cognitive decline, it’s also a vital element for cognitive health and neurodevelopment at a young age.
“While iron chelation therapies (to remove iron) for Alzheimer’s are currently explored, their effect continues to be not very clear and rather more research is required,” he said.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health.
