January 2025 Research Round-Up
Alzheimer’s Linked to Key Proteins via Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have used cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples to link disease-related proteins and genes in 3,506 patients. Previous works sourced individual proteomic profiles from brain tissues collected post-mortem. The use of CSF to investigate proteins, and thus genes, involved in Alzheimer’s provides an enhanced proxy for real-time activity in the brain. Carlos Cruchaga, the Director of the NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center at WashU Medicine, highlights that a meta-analysis of 6,361 proteins in CSF samples yielded 38 proteins likely to have causal effects on Alzheimer’s development. Although the immediate implications of the new CSF analysis technique are unknown, Cruchaga believes that the team’s work could improve investigations into Parkinsonism, diabetes and dementia.
Vitamin D supplements may lower blood pressure in older adults with obesity
New research from the American University of Beirut suggests that calcium and vitamin D supplements taken within recommended doses (15 microcgrams of vitamin D daily) may have blood pressure-lowering effects in obese or overweight adults. A double-blind, randomised control trial recruited 221 adults aged > 65 years old, BMI > 25, and vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL). The intervention group received 3,750 IU/day of vitamin D, while the control group received 600 IU/day. Although there was no significant statistical difference in blood pressure between the two groups, on average, individuals experienced a 3.5 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure after one year. The result supports prior studies which show that higher doses of vitamin D do not necessarily result in improved health outcomes - in fact, vitamin D is lipid-soluble and may become toxic in high concentrations. Most study participants were older adults (mean age of 71.1 years) with high body mass indexes (mean BMI of 30.2). Thus, the study population limits the generalisation of the results. However, the research joins well-established evidence supporting the benefits of regular and appropriate vitamin D intake in older adults.
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