New research from the University of Virginia has found mild head injuries can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life – but scientists say acting quickly after injury may help reduce the risk of both Alzheimer’s and other long-term brain damage.
In lab studies, researchers found that a single mild traumatic brain injury like a concussion can damage the brain’s lymphatic drainage system, the network that clears waste and harmful proteins from the brain. When that system is disrupted, Alzheimer’s-related proteins can build up faster, increasing the risk of long-term brain damage.
The research team, led by John Lukens, director of UVA’s Harrison Family Translational Research Center in Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, was able to repair that drainage system within 24 hours of injury in lab mice…