Researchers at Houston Methodist discovered that extracellular vesicles, tiny particles released by fat cells, can cross the blood-brain barrier and carry lipid signals that accelerate amyloid-beta plaque formation, according to an ANI report.
The study, published on October 2 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, links obesity, which affects 40% of the U.S. population, to higher Alzheimer’s risk. Lead author Stephen Wong, Ph.D., highlighted that obesity is now the top modifiable risk factor for dementia in the United States.
"As recent studies have underscored, obesity is now recognised as the top modifiable risk factor for dementia in the United States," said Wong, corresponding author and director of T. T. & W. F. Chao Centre for BRAIN at Houston Methodist, as reported by ANI.
The research team analyzed vesicles from obese and lean individuals, finding that their lipid composition differs. These differences influenced how quickly amyloid-beta clumped together in laboratory models. Using mouse studies and patient fat samples, scientists demonstrated that fat tissue can directly impact brain health through these cellular messengers.
Disrupting the harmful communication of fat-derived vesicles could offer new avenues to prevent or slow Alzheimer’s in at-risk individuals. The researchers suggest future studies should focus on drug therapies that target these messengers to reduce plaque formation and preserve cognitive function.
The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight not only for physical health but also for brain health, as excess fat may secretly fuel neurodegeneration.
According to ANI, the co-authors of the study include the likes of Li Yang, Jianting Sheng, Michael Chan, Shaohua Qi, and Bill Chan from Houston Methodist, along with researchers from Ohio State University and the University of Texas Health Science Center.
