Diagnostic Test May Elucidate Homocysteine, B Vitamin, Alzheimer's Link

Diagnostic Test May Elucidate Homocysteine, B Vitamin, Alzheimer's Link

BOSTON--Researchers at the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University announced a collaboration with Nymox Corp. to use the company's diagnostic test for neural thread protein (NTP) in its ongoing research on nutrition, cognitive function, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Under the initial research agreement, Tufts scientists will use the Nymox NTP test in their evaluation of two groups of study participants--a population of home-bound elderly people and a group of aging veterans who are followed as outpatients--in terms of nutrition and cognitive function, particularly Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Previous research has linked elevated homocysteine levels and B-vitamin deficiency with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging discovered a link between folic acid deficiency and elevated homocysteine levels and Alzheimer's disease risk. This link was demonstrated in their study, printed in the March 1 issue of Journal of Neuroscience (22, 5:1752-62, 2002) (www.jneurosci.org). In addition, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine discovered that increased plasma homocysteine levels are a strong, independent risk factor for the development of dementia and Alzheimer's. They also mentioned that homocysteine levels can be reduced with increased intake of B vitamins, specifically folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. Their review of the Framingham Study was printed in the Feb. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (346:476-83, 2002) (www.nejm.org).

The Tufts researchers will use the Nymox NTP test to confirm chemical changes in the brain that are strongly correlated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Initial research findings from this collaboration are expected in late 2002.

"We believe the neural thread protein test will provide us with additional valuable information in our study of the causes and prevention of this devastating and incurable condition," said Irwin Rosenberg, M.D., senior scientist at the center and dean of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts.