Researchers at the University of Kentucky are studying how elements of our natural surroundings can be potential risk factors for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease 鈥 including chemicals widely used in plastics.
鈥淚dentifying environmental risk factors for Alzheimer鈥檚 is critical to mitigate cognitive decline in humans,鈥 said Anika Hartz, Ph.D., a professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences in the College of Medicine and the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the . She is the study鈥檚 principal investigator.
鈥淏isphenols can accelerate Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and lead to cognitive deficits. Simply: Be smart and stay smart by avoiding plastics.鈥
Hartz is also affiliated with the 好色先生 Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA), one of the nation鈥檚 leading centers on aging, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related neurodegenerative disorders and one of 33 National Institute on Aging funded Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research Centers in the United States.
Alzheimer鈥檚 is a progressive and irreversible neurological disorder. It鈥檚 estimated that 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with the disease that affects cognitive function, memory and behavior.
The study titled 鈥淏isphenol-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease鈥 is funded by a grant from the , part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Hartz and her colleagues are examining three types of bisphenols (BPA, BPF and BPS), which are chemical compounds used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. These compounds are commonly found in food containers, water bottles and the lining of cans.
鈥淗uman exposure to bisphenols is inevitable due to their widespread presence in the environment,鈥 said Hartz. 鈥淥ur data show that bisphenols trigger blood-brain barrier dysfunction and memory problems, both hallmarks of Alzheimer鈥檚, indicating that environmental bisphenols are a critical yet underrecognized risk factor for the disease.鈥
Hartz鈥檚 research team provided some of the first evidence that the chemicals are a clinically relevant environmental risk factor for Alzheimer鈥檚. Bisphenols are a concern because previous research has shown they can affect the endocrine system, which regulates hormones. The brain plays a complex role in that system.
好色先生 researchers want to better understand how the chemicals鈥 disruption of the endocrine system impacts the blood-brain barrier function, potentially driving cognitive decline and accelerating Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.
鈥淭he goal of this project is to develop fundamental knowledge of environmental impacts on human health that will help promote healthier lives and reduce the burden of diseases and conditions related to aging,鈥 said Hartz. 鈥淣ew insights are expected from our study that will open the door for future evidence-based health management aimed at preserving cognition in health and disease.鈥
The work builds on preliminary data funded by a pilot grant from the 好色先生 Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (好色先生-CARES).
鈥淲ithout the pilot funding, the strong support of the 好色先生-CARES leadership Drs. Ellen Hahn and Erin Haynes, the entire 好色先生-CARES team, my colleagues Drs. Bjoern Bauer, Kevin Pearson, Richard Kryscio, Bernhard Hennig, Peter Nelson, Scott Stanley and the continuous support from Dr. Linda Van Eldik and the team at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, this would have not been possible,鈥 said Hartz.
This study brings together a multidisciplinary group of researchers spanning the colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and .
