Brain Scans After Memory Shifts May Show Risk

Brain Scans After Memory Shifts May Show Risk

People who experience sudden shifts in their memories may be at increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, found that people who had experienced transient global amnesia (TGA) - a temporary loss of memory that can last for up to 24 hours - had reduced levels of a protein called amyloid-beta in their brains. Amyloid-beta is a key component of the plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

"Our findings suggest that people who experience TGA may be at increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases later in life," said study author Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. "This is an important finding, as it could help us to identify people who are at risk of developing these diseases and take steps to prevent them."

TGA is a rare condition that affects about 20,000 people in the United States each year. It is more common in older adults, but it can also occur in younger people. The exact cause of TGA is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain.

In the study, researchers used PET scans to measure amyloid-beta levels in the brains of 20 people who had experienced TGA and 20 healthy control subjects. The results showed that people who had experienced TGA had significantly lower levels of amyloid-beta in their brains than the control subjects.

The researchers also found that the lower the levels of amyloid-beta in the brains of people who had experienced TGA, the more likely they were to have memory problems.

"Our findings suggest that reduced levels of amyloid-beta in the brain may be a risk factor for developing memory problems and neurodegenerative diseases," said Isaacson. "This is an important finding, as it could help us to develop new treatments for these diseases."

The researchers plan to conduct further studies to confirm their findings and to investigate the relationship between TGA and neurodegenerative diseases.