A team of scientists at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) has uncovered information regarding chronic heart failure that could change the way Alzheimer’s care is approached.
The scientists said that by examining the heart muscle cells in dogs, they discovered that changes in a protein called desmin led to the formation of protein clusters that are similar to the plaque that is found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients.
"Our study leads us to believe that desmin plays a key role in heart failure," said Dr Giulio Agnetti, the lead study investigator at JHU.
"Now we have a chemical target to research further and help us investigate what could be the underlying biological cause of heart failure and if it is like Alzheimer’s, an amyloid-related disease."
The Mayo Clinic says that heart failure can be avoided by controlling risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity. Unfortunately, doctors say nothing can be done to cure AD, but support from family and friends can make life better for people who have the disease.
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