Dementia serves as an umbrella term for various conditions that impact memory, thinking, language, mood changes and general brain function.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that deteriorates memory, cognitive skills, and the ability to manage everyday tasks, as reported by Surrey Live.

It stands as the leading cause of dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Society points out that studies on dementia receive significantly less funding compared to cancer research, which engages four times more scientists.

Following their research findings, scientists advise against consuming supplements with the amino acid serine or using such products for Alzheimer’s treatment.

The study revealed, through an analysis of brain soft tissue, that PGDH enzyme levels were notably higher in those with Alzheimer’s, including individuals with “a-symptomatic” versions of the disease. PGDH is essential for producing the amino acid serine, with increased PGDH levels indicating that Alzheimer’s patients are already generating excess amounts of serine.

Study co-author Riccardo Calandrelli, who serves as a research associate in Professor Sheng Zhong’s laboratory, stated: “Anyone looking to recommend or take serine to mitigate Alzheimer’s symptoms should exercise caution.”

The research revealed that heightened PGDH presence can also serve as a marker for dementia severity and the extent of cognitive deterioration.

PGDH concentrations proved significantly higher in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers, leading scientists to hope it might provide the foundation for a revolutionary early dementia screening capable of detecting the condition’s emergence even in healthy adults.

“The fact that this gene’s expression level directly correlates with both a person’s cognitive ability and disease pathology is remarkable,” said Professor Zhong.

“Being able to quantify both of these complex metrics with a single molecular measurement could potentially make diagnosis and monitoring progression of Alzheimer’s disease much simpler.”