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Recent research has suggested a potential association between clinically apparent Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among adults, presenting intriguing insights into potential modifiable risk factors for the condition.
The study, led by senior author Dr. Paul Brassard, a professor of medicine at McGill University in Montreal, delved into the relationship between recent HP infection and the risk of AD among a cohort of over 4 million patients aged 50 years or older without dementia. The research, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, indicated an 11% elevated risk for AD among individuals with a history of clinically apparent HP infection in the past two years compared to those without such exposure.
Dr. Brassard emphasized that while the observed effect size might seem modest, it still raises considerations about the potential role of infectious agents like H. pylori in contributing to neurodegenerative processes.
The study analyzed data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD, a vast primary care database spanning more than 11 million patients. The cohort, enrolled between 1988 and 2017, was tracked until 2019 for AD diagnoses or other endpoints.
Notably, the definition of AD in the study encompassed a spectrum of diagnostic criteria, including AD diagnoses alongside prescriptions for AD medications, leading to a comprehensive evaluation of AD cases within the cohort.
However, Dr. David S. Knopman, a clinical neurologist specializing in AD at the Mayo Clinic, cautioned against overstating the diagnostic specificity, highlighting that the administratively defined AD cases might encompass diverse forms of dementia. Knopman expressed concerns about potential misleading interpretations arising from such claims about AD risk based on the study’s diagnostic definitions.
Moreover, Knopman emphasized the possibility of the observed association being a chance finding without significant biological significance due to the small effect size detected in the study.
While acknowledging the intriguing findings, Brassard emphasized the need for large-scale, randomized trials to ascertain whether controlling H. pylori infection could influence the development of AD.
The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, underscores the complexity of exploring potential risk factors for AD and the ongoing quest to unravel the multifaceted aspects contributing to neurodegenerative conditions.
