Blood protein tied to Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Low levels of cystatin C -- a blood protein commonly used as a measure of kidney function -- may be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in elderly men, researchers report.

Cystatin C is produced by nearly all human cells and available in all body fluids. During the past decade, studies have suggested that cystatin C activity in the brain may protect against the development of Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting amyloid-beta -- a protein in the body that forms amyloid plaques in the brain, a key feature of Alzheimer's disease.

To further explore this idea, Dr. Johan Sundelof, of Uppsala University, Sweden, and colleagues examined the association between blood levels of cystatin C and the development....read the whole article