BREAKING NEWS, Health
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Does your blood type reveal how your brain will age? Researchers find those with Type O better able to protect against Alzheimer’s
People with an ‘O’ blood type have more grey matter in their brain. This helps protect against diseases such as Alzheimer’s
| MARK PRIGG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM |
YOUR blood type could have a major impact on your brain as you age, researchers have found.
They found those with an ‘O’ blood type have more grey matter in their brain than those with ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘AB’ blood types.
This helps protect against diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
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WHAT ARE BLOOD TYPES?
Although all blood is made of the same basic elements, not all blood is alike.
There are eight different common blood types, which are determined by the presence or absence of certain antigens – substances that can trigger an immune response if they are foreign to the body.
Since some antigens can trigger a patient’s immune system to attack the transfused blood, safe blood transfusions depend on careful matching.
The study conducted by researchers at the University of Sheffield is the first to reveal blood types play a role in the development of the nervous system and may cause a higher risk of developing cognitive decline.
The research was carried out in collaboration with the IRCCS San Camillo Hospital Foundation in Venice.
Research fellow Matteo De Marco and Professor Annalena Venneri, from the University’s Department of Neuroscience, made the discovery after analysing the results of 189 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans from healthy volunteers.
They calculated the volumes of grey matter within the brain and explored the differences between different blood types.
The results, published in The Brain Research Bulletin, show that individuals with an ‘O’ blood type have more grey matter in the posterior proportion of the cerebellum.
In comparison, those with ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘AB’ blood types had smaller grey matter volumes in temporal and limbic regions of the brain, including the left hippocampus, which is one of the earliest part of the brain damaged by Alzheimer’s disease.
These findings indicate that smaller volumes of grey matter are associated with non-‘O’ blood types.
As we age a reduction of grey matter volumes is normally seen in the brain, but later in life this grey matter difference between blood types will intensify as a consequence of ageing.
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What is Alzheimer’s Disease? The condition explained
‘The findings seem to indicate that people who have an ‘O’ blood type are more protected against the diseases in which volumetric reduction is seen in temporal and mediotemporal regions of the brain like with Alzheimer’s disease for instance,’ said Matteo DeMarco.
‘However additional tests and further research are required as other biological mechanisms might be involved.’
Professor Annalena Venneri said: ‘What we know today is that a significant difference in volumes exists, and our findings confirm established clinical observations.
‘In all likelihood the biology of blood types influences the development of the nervous system.
‘We now have to understand how and why this occurs.’
Culled from MSN News
— Jun 22, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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Tags: 'A' 'AB' blood types 'B' age Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease Annalena Venneri antigens attack blood transfusions blood type brain grey matter hippocampus immune response immune system IRCCS San Camillo Hospital Foundation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Matteo De Marco nervous system The Brain Research Bulletin trigger Type O University of Sheffield Venice volumetric reduction
