Pregnancy protein 'linked to Alzheimer's'

Older women who are destined to develop Alzheimer's disease have high levels of a protein linked to pregnancy, research shows.

A study published in the Journal of Proteome Research detected this protein in the women several years before they detected Alzheimer's symptoms.

The significant rise in pregnancy zone protein (PZP) occurred in women an average of four years before the neurodegenerative condition was officially diagnosed.

According to the research, this was because PZP was being produced in senile plaques located in degenerated areas of the brain linked to Alzheimer's.

Early detection is particularly important when it comes to Alzheimer's disease, and these findings could potentially allow those with elevated levels of PZP to begin treatment as early as possible.

However, in a paper published in journal Neurology, authors warn that as diagnosis of the disease gets earlier, those with the condition could face discrimination in the workplace.

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