Summarize: One of the new studies analyzed gene expression in brain cells of those living with Alzheimer’s and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and they found many similarities. Thus, this study suggests that AUD may increase Alzheimer’s risk and also fasten its progression.
It would be right to say that alcohol is the most widely consumed legal, mind-altering substance in the US. Sure, caffeine is also classified as a mind-altering substance, but it does not cause euphoria or intoxication like alcohol does. Alcohol consumption also causes behavior changes.
When consumed responsibly, alcohol is safe, but at higher dosages, it is harmful. There have been many studies regarding the use of alcohol. Studies show that about 10% of US adults consume alcohol in dosages greater than recommended, or about 29 million adults in the US are living with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Those are massive numbers.
Similarly, Alzheimer’s is also one of the most common diseases. It is among the top 5 leading causes of mortality in the US. At any given time, more than 7 million adults are living with Alzheimer’s in the US.
So, it would be right to explore the association between AUD and Alzheimer’s. Moreover, it is no secret that people drink alcohol because it modulates brain activity. This also means that not all alcohol use-related modulations in brain physiology are good. At higher dosages, alcohol may damage brain cells and alter brain chemistry. Chronic alcohol use, like that by people living with AUD, may result in some irreversible brain changes.
Now, one of the new studies shows that AUD may accelerate Alzheimer’s progression in some individuals living with specific kinds of genes. The study found that many of those living with AUD or Alzheimer’s have similar types of gene expression patterns in the brain.
The findings of this study were published in the journal eNeuro. Researchers say that they found that those living with Alzheimer’s have similar kinds of genes and pathways dysregulated as those living with AUD. This suggests a link between the ailments, and it also suggests that chronic alcohol use or abuse may fasten Alzheimer’s progress. For individuals looking to address alcohol use issues, exploring alcohol addiction treatment online may provide accessible and effective options.
What makes this research different is that it did not focus on DNA but rather on RNA and, thus, on the gene expression within the brain cells. So, they wanted to understand if there are similarities between the gene expression in those living with AUD and Alzheimer’s.
This study built on one of the previous studies showing that there are certain similarities in gene expression of those living with AUD and Alzheimer’s. So, for this study, researchers analyzed RNA sequences of hundreds of thousands of brain cells from 75 patients living with different Alzheimer’s stages and also compared the results with brain cells of 10 individuals without Alzheimer’s.
They found that gene expression was far more similar between those living with AUD and Alzheimer’s compared to healthy adults (not living with Alzheimer’s or abusing alcohol).
Researchers say that this deepens our understanding of Alzheimer’s. This study shows that alcohol must be included in the Alzheimer’s risk factors.
Of course, there is still a need for more extensive studies in this direction. Nonetheless, this study brings some new insights. Moreover, it shows how analyzing a single cell may help better understand certain complex diseases like Alzheimer’s. For those struggling with AUD, options such as alcohol addiction treatment online can make help more accessible, potentially mitigating these risks early.
Source:
Joshi, A., Giorgi, F. M., & Sanna, P. P. (2024). Transcriptional Patterns in Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease Are Cell-Type–Specific and Partially Converge with the Effects of Alcohol Use Disorder in Humans. eNeuro, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0118-24.2024
