Form of dementia has just been given a name
LATE neuropathological change is a TDP-43 protein-related brain disease of advanced age, especially common in people over age 80, associated with substantial cognitive impairment.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2019 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figuresreport, nearly 220,000 Ohioans are living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. One of those other forms of dementia has just been given a name for the first time: LATE or limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy.
LATE neuropathological change is a TDP-43 protein-related brain disease (proteinopathy) of advanced age, especially common in people over age 80, associated with substantial cognitive impairment. TDP-43 is a protein that normally helps to regulate gene expression in the brain and other tissues. A proteinopathy is a disease in which a protein or proteins become abnormal and disrupt the function of cells, tissues and organs of the body.
“Too often the words Alzheimer’s and dementia are incorrectly used to mean the same thing. Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life, and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, accounting for 60-80 percent of dementia cases,” said Andrew DeFratis, communications and public policy director with the Alzheimer’s Association Greater East Ohio Area Chapter.
But a work group convened by the U.S. National Institute on Aging published a report on April 30, 2019, in the journal, Brain,describing LATE as mimicking Alzheimer’s in many ways and finding about one in four people over age 85 have enough of the protein that causes LATE to have problems with memory and thinking similar to Alzheimer’s.
“The progression of dementia is so different in every person. We currently have difficulty explaining why. This new information helps with that explanation. Mixed dementia, where brain abnormalities of more than one type of disease occur simultaneously, likely accounts for the majority of dementia cases with Alzheimer’s being the most prevalent. Those with both Alzheimer’s and LATE may find their dementia causes them to decline faster. Alzheimer’s has no method of prevention, treatment or slowing it down, but treatments for certain symptoms of Alzheimer’s may not affect those same symptoms in LATE and vice versa. More research needs to be done,” DeFratis said.
The Alzheimer’s Association Greater East Ohio Area Chapter said both early, accurate detection and diagnosis is important and that the Alzheimer’s Association provides free care and support to those living with all forms of memory loss and their families and caregivers.
The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900 or website at www.alz.org/eastohio are often an entry point for families seeking to attend one of 30 local, monthly caregiver support groups or free community presentations such as “Know the 10 Signs,” “Living with Alzheimer’s for Caregivers,” and “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”
The Alzheimer’s Association has funded more than $500,000 in research related to TDP-43 including having funded 12 of the authors of the LATE report in the past. Those funds are made possible through local community events such as The Longest Day on June 21. Find out how you can support Alzheimer’s care, support and research at www.alz.org/thelongestday.