Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, March 1 (Reporter Chen Xiyuan) The reporter learned from Nanjing University on the 1st that the scientific research team of the Drum Tower Hospital affiliated to the School of Medicine of the university found that osteoporosis will exacerbate cognitive decline, providing new ideas for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease in clinical practice. Related**Recently**Published in the international academic journal Nature Metabolism.
According to Jiang Qing, co-corresponding author and deputy dean of Nanjing University School of Medicine, some elderly people with osteoporosis are often found to have symptoms of cognitive decline. On the other hand, many Alzheimer's patients also show abnormal levels of bone metabolism.
Previous studies have shown that human bones are an atypical endocrine organ in addition to supporting and exercising. Jiang Qing told reporters that the bones of elderly patients with osteoporosis will release a kind of osteosclerotic protein, and the proportion of osteosclerotic protein in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients is high.
What is the intrinsic connection between bones and the brain? In this direction, the team carried out research for more than 6 years.
*According to co-corresponding author Guo Baosheng, associate professor of Nanjing University School of Medicine, mouse experiments have shown that the osteosclerotic protein secreted by bone cells in elderly mice can break through the "blood-brain barrier", inhibit the signal transmission of central neurons, and damage the plasticity and integrity of neuronal synapses, resulting in cognitive decline in mice.
In addition, in experiments with a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, researchers found that increasing the concentration of osteosclerotic protein accelerated the formation of amyloid plaques, and the cognitive function of the affected mice deteriorated further.
Our findings show that when osteoscleroprotein enters the brain, cognitive function is impaired in healthy older adults; For people with Alzheimer's disease, the condition can get worse. Guo Baosheng said.
Jiang Qing said that the team is planning to carry out a multidisciplinary clinical study to further validate the results of this basic study and explore new ways to prevent and develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.