Rare brain inflammation may provide clues to treating Alzheimer's disease

The researchers analyzed data from patients with a rare autoimmune disease known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-ri), in hopes their work will help improve the understanding and treatment
of Alzheimer's disease.

Natural Italy official website October 21 news

CAA-ri is caused by antibodies that mistakenly target a protein in the brain called β-amyloid, which is naturally produced to stimulate cell growth but can also be toxic to nerve cells if not folded correctly during synthesis
.

Symptoms of CAA-ri include abnormalities seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that are very similar
to amyloid-related imaging anomalies (ARIA) seen in some Alzheimer's patients.

The study, conducted by a team of researchers from Italy, Japan and Spain, involved 113 CAA-ri patients identified through the iCAβ International Network, a global initiative that includes 35 neurology clinic hospitals
worldwide.

After MRI evaluation confirms the presence of ARIA, the patient is treated
with a high-dose corticosteroid, a drug that suppresses the immune response.

"Our study shows that corticosteroids are effective in avoiding recurrence of inflammation and stabilizing patient recovery," said
Fabrizio Piazza, a neurobiologist at the University of Milano-Bicocca and co-author of the study.

The study was published in the journal Neurology (latest impact factor: 9.

These findings can help patients with Alzheimer's disease who receive immunotherapy avoid ARIA and improve understanding
of cerebral amyloid angiopathy by combining this immunotherapy with corticosteroids.

Nicola Vanacore, director of the Center for Dementia Surveillance at the Italian National Institute of Health, said: "CAA-ri may be part of
the broader inflammatory phenomenon associated with Alzheimer's disease.