CABG Alzhelimer's Study

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Public release date: 25-Aug-2005
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Contact: Kristen Perfetuo
kristen.perfetuo@xxxxxxx
617-638-8491
Case Western Reserve University

New research suggests heart bypass surgery increases risk of Alzheimer's
disease
Researchers say stress and trauma of surgery may be to blame
Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers have discovered
that patients who have either coronary artery bypass graft surgery or
coronary angioplasty are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease.
The research, which appears in the current issue of the Journal of
Alzheimer's Disease (http://www.j-alz.com), pinpoints stress and trauma
of the surgery as the major cause for the increased risk.
Led by Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD, professor of pharmacology at BUSM,
researchers compared 5,216 people who underwent coronary artery bypass
graft surgery (CABG) and 3,954 people who had a percutaneous
transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 1996 and 1997. Over the
course of five years, 78 of the patients who had bypass surgery and 41
of those who had angioplasty developed Alzheimer's disease.
"The coronary bypass patients had a 70 percent increased risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease," said Wolozin, co-author of the study.
"This increased incidence of neurocognitive degeneration associated with
heart bypass surgery provides further incentive for more studies to
better characterize the risks of cardiac surgery on the brain."
According to Wolozin, previous studies show some heart surgery patients
experience memory problems immediately following the procedure. However,
at a one-year follow-up most patients regain cognitive function.
Researchers believe this early cognitive impairment is an immediate
reaction to the stress of surgery.
"Heart bypass surgery represents a traumatic insult to the brain,
particularly by reducing oxygen supply to the brain and increasing the
stress response," said Wolozin.
"We believe that the compensation that occurs by one year masks an
underlying deficit in the central nervous system caused by the heart
surgery. As individuals age, this underlying deficit might exacerbate
progressive cognitive deficits associated with mild cognitive
impairment, a precursory phase before diagnosis of Alzheimer's."
Wolozin and his researchers are currently working with researchers from
the Framingham Heart Study to determine if these same observations can
be duplicated in their studies.
"If these observations are confirmed, there are measures that can be
taken to protect the brain during heart bypass surgery," explained
Wolozin. "Antioxidants might offer some protection, as well as
memantine, a medication that helps slow the progression of Alzheimer's
disease. There may also be other neuroprotective agents still in
development that could shield the brain from cognitive degeneration
during and following surgery."

###
The article is "Assessment of the Emergence of Alzheimer's Disease
Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery or Percutaneous
Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty" by Todd A. Lee, Benjamin Wolozin,
Kevin B. Weiss and Martin M. Bednar (Communicated by Craig Atwood). It
appears in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Vol. 7, Number 4
published by IOS Press.
About the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (www.j-alz.com) is an international
multidisciplinary journal to facilitate progress in understanding the
etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, behavior, treatment and
psychology of Alzheimer's disease. The journal publishes research
reports, reviews, short communications, book reviews, and
letters-to-the-editor. The journal is dedicated to providing an open
forum for original research that will expedite our fundamental
understanding of Alzheimer's disease.
About IOS Press
Commencing its publishing activities in 1987, IOS Press
(www.iospress.com) is a rapidly expanding scientific, technical, medical
and professional publishing house focusing on a broad range of subject
areas. Headquartered in Amsterdam, IOS Press publishes approximately 100
new books per annum and 70 international journals, covering topics
ranging from computer science and mathematics to medicine and the
natural sciences. Electronic access to all journals is now available.
IOS Press also maintains offices in the Washington, DC area and Berlin
and a co-publishing relationship with Ohmsha, Ltd (Tokyo).



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