A protein in spinal fluid in cognitively healthy adults predicted later onset of mild cognitive impairment and dementia years before symptoms emerge Results of a long-term, federally funded study of cognitively healthy adults - most with a family history of Alzheimer's disease - have added to evidence that low spinal fluid levels of a protein linked to learning and memory in mice may serve as an early predictor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) years before symptoms appear. The findings, which may potentially offer new targets for treating or preventing Alzheimer's and other dementias, showed that a relatively low level of the protein known as NPTX2 is not only a likely standalone risk factor for MCI and Alzheimer's dementia, but also improves prediction of cognitive impairment after accounting for levels of traditional biomarkers and well-established genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's.

https://www.miragenews.com/protein-could-foretell-cognitive-impairment-1057198/

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