Relationship between the hs-CRP as non-specific biomarker and Alzheimer's disease according to aging process

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Microglia play a crucial role in brain immune surveillance, with functions shifting based on aging in neurodegenerative diseases.
• The specific role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, particularly concerning aging, remains unclear.
• This study investigates the clinical impact of microglia and aging in newly diagnosed AD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the clinical effects of microglia in relation to the aging process in individuals with newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease.
• To investigate the association between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and aging in AD patients.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 532 patients with newly diagnosed AD and 119 healthy controls.
• Serum hs-CRP levels were measured and compared between AD patients and controls.
• AD patients were stratified into three age-based subgroups to analyze the relationship between hs-CRP and aging.

Main Results:

• Patients with Alzheimer's disease exhibited significantly elevated serum hs-CRP levels compared to healthy controls.
• Post-hoc analysis revealed no significant differences in serum hs-CRP levels among the three age-based AD subgroups.
• This suggests that while neuroinflammation is implicated in AD, aging-related microglia senescence may not be the primary driver of observed changes.

Conclusions:

• The study found no direct clinical evidence linking microglia senescence to a shift from neuroprotective to neurotoxic functions in aged AD brains.
• While neuroinflammation is suspected in AD pathogenesis, the role of aging microglia requires further investigation.
• Future longitudinal studies with larger cohorts are necessary to elucidate the complex interplay between microglia, aging, and AD.