Do certain brain injuries (for example, to the left frontal lobe), lead to Alzheimer’s disease (AD)?
Dr. Reiman: While having a brain injury does not condemn someone to developing Alzheimer’s later in life, researchers continue to investigate the extent to which traumatic brain injuries might be associated with a higher risk of this disorder. While some epidemiological studies have found a higher risk of Alzheimer’s in those with a reported history of head trauma associated with a loss of consciousness, other studies were not able to confirm this relationship. Still other studies, but not all, have found a higher risk of Alzheimer’s after a brain injury in people who have APOE4 gene versus people who do not have the gene (see the response to question #3 for more about this Alzheimer’s susceptibility gene). Interestingly, traumatic injuries may lead to higher brain levels of amyloid, a protein suspected to be involved in the stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Additional studies are needed to clarify the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in those with a history of head trauma, how this risk is in
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