The study, published in the scientific journal Acta Neuropathologica Communications, represented a significant advance in understanding the relationship between schizophrenia and the development of age-related dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease. The research identified mechanisms linked to neuronal connectivity, synapse function, inflammation, and cerebral metabolism.
“"Although several epidemiological studies already indicated that people with schizophrenia have a two or three times higher risk of developing dementia in adulthood, until now “shared molecular mechanisms explaining this vulnerability had not been described.”"
The shared alterations were located in cerebral extracellular vesicles (VEs), small structures responsible for transporting proteins. These vesicles contained key proteins altered identically in both schizophrenia and early and advanced stages of Alzheimer's, revealing a previously unknown biological connection.
“"The study establishes the basis for the future validation of a blood test aimed at estimating the risk of dementia in people with schizophrenia."
Furthermore, it was confirmed that these proteins can circulate in the blood encapsulated in plasma vesicles, opening the door to the development of non-invasive biomarkers. Thanks to a large clinical validation cohort, the study showed that 20% of people with schizophrenia exhibit a high-risk molecular profile, which would allow for preventive intervention long before the onset of clinical symptoms. The findings have been protected by a European patent.
