ISTANBUL

Several new studies published this week point to emerging clues about Alzheimer’s disease, from brain inflammation and predictive blood tests to environmental risks, highlighting both advances and lingering uncertainties in understanding the neurodegenerative disorder.

A study by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, reported Thursday by Knowridge and published in JAMA Network Open, found that neuroinflammation may be a key driver of mood and behavioral symptoms such as anxiety, agitation and depression.

Researchers analyzing 109 older adults linked higher levels of brain inflammation to more severe emotional changes, suggesting treatments targeting inflammation could ease symptoms. Lead researcher Dr. Cristiano Aguzzoli noted these problems “don’t always have a clear cause,” complicating treatment.

Blood tests predict what age symptoms could emerge

Separate findings reported Thursday by Scientific American described blood tests that measure the protein p-tau217 and may help estimate when Alzheimer’s symptoms could emerge.

The study, published in Nature Medicine and involving more than 600 adults aged 62–78 without cognitive impairment, showed that biological markers could predict symptom onset within a three- to four-year range. However, experts cautioned against immediate clinical use.

“While the results here are encouraging, they are not yet at the level of having significant clinical benefit for individual patients,” said Corey Bolton of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Air pollution linked to higher risk

Meanwhile, research published on Tuesday in PLOS Medicine and reported by News Medical linked long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, based on analysis of more than 27.8 million US Medicare recipients between 2000 and 2018.

The study led by Yanling Deng of Emory University suggested pollution affects brain health largely through direct biological pathways, with stroke survivors appearing particularly vulnerable.

Together, the studies underscore how biological, diagnostic and environmental factors are reshaping scientific understanding of Alzheimer’s, a disease affecting millions worldwide, while researchers emphasize that further validation and clinical trials are needed before many findings translate into routine care.