Important link to Alzheimer's found

Scientists have announced that they have discovered a link between the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease and an amino acid called homocysteine found in the blood. A test for this homocysteine could therefore identify the level of future risk of Alzheimer's in certain people. Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disorder, which destroys brain cells. It leads to a decline in mental function affecting memory, thinking, language and behaviour. The disease affects above the age of 65 years. Dementia is a general decline in mental ability and Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause.Homocysteine is a by-product of a normal diet, but its levels are highest in people whose diet is dominated by meat and lacks fruit and leafy vegetables. It can be converted to harmless amino acids by vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid, all of which are found in fruit and green vegetables.The team of scientists from Boston University and Tufts University carried out this study. They took eight years and studied 1,092 people aged between 68 and 97 who did not initially have Alzheimer's and they discovered that 83 developed the disease. It was found that those who had a level of homocysteine higher than 14 micromoles per litre of blood had twice the risk of developing the disease. A homocysteine level of below nine is considered to be okay.This discovery could lead to researchers developing a test to find people most at risk of developing Alzheimer's, and giving them timely advice to reduce the risk. Though they could not prove that homocysteine is the cause of Alzheimer's it was plausible that it could be as the amino acid has been found to damage blood vessels and nerves and has already been linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. It is too early to assume that giving people vitamin supplements would be enough to prevent Alzheimer's from developing. However the study reinforced the need to eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables.