A dozen groups from various fields at the UJI contribute to Alzheimer's research



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## A dozen groups from various fields at the UJI contribute to Alzheimer's research

07/12/2023 |
Andrea Miralles Sánchez

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* [![ report-alzheimer Lab_Ana_M_Sanchez_23DLL62-cpia](/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2023/9/report-alzheimer/Lab_Ana_M_Sanchez_23DLL62-cpia.jpg)](#)

As life expectancy increases worldwide, so does the number of cases of this disease that affects the memory, thinking and behaviour of millions of people. And behind every Alzheimer’s diagnosis, there is a story of struggle and pain, both for those affected and for their loved ones. As indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, and around 10 million new patients are diagnosed each year. In Spain alone, it affects almost a million people: one in ten people aged over 65 and a third of those over 85.

In the last six years, the Universitat Jaume I has seen significant progress in the fight against Alzheimer's. With half a dozen projects focused on this disease, the university’s research groups, particularly NEUROBIOTEC and BIOTRANSFER, have led the search for solutions. However, a dozen groups in areas such as health, technology and the humanities are also making an outstanding collective effort to contribute directly or indirectly to dealing with the challenge posed by Alzheimer’s disease.

**What does science say?**

The origin of Alzheimer's disease remains unknown, and, although a treatment capable of curing the disease has not been found, science has made progress. In fact, over the last few decades researchers have achieved many advances making it possible to determine where and where not to focus their efforts.

It was in 1901 when the German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer was surprised by the behaviour of 51-year-old Auguste Deter, who was the first patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s – a disease that bears the name of its discoverer. During Deter’s autopsy, Alzheimer was able to observe two types of abnormalities in his brain: an accumulation of beta-amyloid (a protein that under normal conditions promotes neuron transmission) in the form of plaques, and tangles of tau protein, causing the gradual loss of connections between nerve cells and, finally, cell death. This discovery was the starting point for research on Alzheimer’s. Since then, scientists have worked with various hypotheses to come up with this “magic wand” capable of controlling, or at least slowing down, the symptoms of the disease through early prevention and various treatments.

**Research on the different stages of Alzheimer's disease**

Universities are vital centres of hope and knowledge in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Universitat Jaume I research groups from a wide range of disciplines are addressing the challenges posed by this disease. From applied biomedicine to computational biochemistry, including neurobiotechnology and nursing, these groups are contributing their efforts to understanding the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer's and searching for solutions.

It should also be noted that Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease, like Parkinson's and Lewi body dementia. Research on Alzheimer’s therefore also opens the way to improving the diagnosis and treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases.

Origins, diagnosis, prevention and treatment are among the key words mentioned and repeated by some of the Universitat Jaume I researchers working on Alzheimer's. So, at what stage do we need to “attack” the disease?

In the opinion of Ana María Sánchez, coordinator of the NEUROBIOTEC group, whose lines of research are concerned with looking for mechanisms related to the onset of the disease such as neuroinflammation and insulin resistance, “the hypothesis that plaques and tangles are the cause of the disease has been questioned for a long time in the scientific world, and it seems that they are more a consequence than a cause”. After numerous studies focused in this direction, researchers have begun to think of other ways to approach the disease.

This group of biotechnologists have therefore investigated the relationship between long non-coding RNA (IncRNA) and the neuroinflammation present in Alzheimer's, considering IncRNAs as biomarkers and targets for treatment. They have also studied gut microbiome alterations and the use of probiotics to delay the cognitive decline that causes Alzheimer's, and have developed an Artificial Intelligence model to predict risk of Alzheimer's based on gene expression in blood samples.

Another group addressing the origins of the disease is Computational Biochemistry, coordinated by the researcher Vicent Moliner. The scientific team focused on enzyme catalysis processes is working with a hypothesis regarding a possible origin of Alzheimer's disease – the inflammation generated by oral infections – as some analyses of Alzheimer’s sufferers’ brains have detected a high concentration of a type of enzyme associated with these infections, such as periodontitis.

Through their research they are trying to understand how enzymes are so highly effective in speeding up chemical reactions. There are two ways they work with enzymes: by trying to block them so they can design drugs and prevent cell replication, and by designing an enzyme to catalyse any kind of reaction.

UJI research staff are also studying the diagnosis of the disease. In the words of Javier Burgos, a distinguished researcher of the Predepartmental Unit of Medicine and coordinator of the BIOTRANSFER (Applied Biomedicine) research group “our group is focusing on reaching a precise diagnosis, specifically using blood biomarkers”. With these biomarkers, it would be possible to non-invasively diagnose whether a person will develop the disease. However, although a great deal of research has been carried out in this area, it has not yet been transferred into clinical practice as an established routine test. Another of the BIOTRANSFER group's lines of research focuses on developing neuroprotective drugs for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative and central nervous system diseases.

It is clear that a collective effort is being made to achieve improvements concerning this complex and multifaceted illness. Alzheimer’s can have different causes in each patient diagnosed, and external and genetic factors interact in its development. It is also important to note that the progress of the disease can vary from person to person.

For this reason, Ana María Sánchez insists on the need for personalised prevention programmes. Although drugs are now available that can improve neural circulation, there are also certain habits that can be practised at any time which scientific evidence has shown to have benefits for mental and physical health and to reinforce protection against Alzheimer’s and other mental illnesses.

Exercising, eating well, carrying out activities that stimulate the brain, such as learning languages or playing a new instrument, or simply socialising are not an infallible guarantee but can help with prevention. Sánchez says these healthy habits should be considered a medical prescription rather than a mere recommendation, but she adds that it is also essential to offer a personalised approach, meeting the individual needs of each patient.

The Universitat Jaume I is also researching possible treatments for the disease. In this sense, the main groups leading key research in this area are NEUROBIOTEC, Computational Biochemistry and IMPLICA (The Involvement of Nursing in Care), led by researcher María Pilar Molés.

Ana María Sánchez's group has been working on the development of synthetic analogues of abscisic acid (ABA), a hormone with anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitising properties. Her research offers positive results for improving learning and memory in models of metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer's, as neuroinflammation is reduced and the expression of several key molecules in brain function is improved. Meanwhile, Moliner and the other researchers belonging to the Computational Biochemistry group have focused their efforts on understanding the processes of enzyme catalysis, in other words, on trying to block or design enzymes with the aim of creating an effective drug for treating Alzheimer's.

In nursing, María Pilar Molés' group is working on care at different stages of life. One of their lines of research focuses on elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's, providing support and quality of life to those who need it. More specifically, one of her recent articles is an in-depth analysis of the stigma associated with mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. The conclusions of the study have determined that stigma remains a serious problem in today's society, and this has consequences for both patients and their relatives.

**The social effects of Alzheimer's**

Despite the efforts of the scientific community, a cure for Alzheimer's does not yet seem to be within our reach. However, we need to focus on the hard work being done by researchers to improve the lives of both Alzheimer's patients and their families. “Because the patient's family are also patients”, says Francisco Ros, a researcher in the BIOTRANSFER group alongside Javier Burgos. Ros emphasises that, when a relative is told that they are suffering from Alzheimer's, a sentence is passed and “I wish it wasn't like that”.

Because the story of Alzheimer's disease is also a story of love for our family and friends. The disease means saying a premature farewell to a person who is ceasing to be him- or herself, and this is very tough. This is why Ros says that “Family members need to take care of themselves so they can give care”. The mental and physical health of patients’ loved ones should therefore also be a priority.

All the UJI researchers in various fields studying Alzheimer's agree that it is a disease for which the social dimension becomes very important. For this reason, empathy, resources and, of course, continued support for research are needed, because there is hope that the time will come when science will make it possible for people with Alzheimer's to remain themselves until the very end.

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