In a recent article, Martina Valletta and colleagues set out to investigate the link between poor blood health (i.e. low haemoglobin levels and anaemia) and early biological signs of Alzheimer disease or a higher risk of developing dementia later in life.
Using data from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC K), a longitudinal population-based cohort study. The analyses focused on participants who did not have dementia at the start of the study and who had provided blood samples. These samples were used both to measure haemoglobin levels, to identify cases of anaemia, and to analyse blood based biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s disease, including phosphorylated tau 217, neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein.
Results showed, people with anaemia already had higher levels of Alzheimer’s related biomarkers, even before any diagnosis. Over time, they were also significantly more likely to develop dementia, with the highest risk observed in those who had both anaemia and abnormal biomarker levels. Together, these results suggest that anaemia may be linked to underlying brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, not just to later cognitive symptoms.
The authors highlight that anaemia is common, easy to detect and in many cases treatable, which makes these findings particularly relevant for prevention strategies. While the study cannot prove that anaemia causes dementia, it raises the possibility that improving blood health could play a role in protecting the ageing brain. Further studies including different population groups are needed to determine whether treating anaemia can slow or reduce Alzheimer’s related brain changes.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2847873?utm_medium=email&utm_source=postup_jn&utm_campaign=article_alert-jamanetwork&utm_content=weekly_highlights-neurology-tfl_&utm_term=042526
